


Loving Carol

by Prince_Hel



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fluff and Smut, I wanted to do it a little bit different though, Teacher-Student Relationship, Young!Carol and Older!Therese, because as far as I know (I could be wrong since I haven't read fics lately) this hadn't been done, here's my contribution to the handful of teacher/student fics that already exist, that's why I decided to give you young!carol and older!therese
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 73,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21963355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prince_Hel/pseuds/Prince_Hel
Summary: Most of Carol’s life has been managed by her father, never having the opportunity the do or choose what she wanted. Forcing her, in consequence, to hide who she really was, never feeling the courage to confront her father to defend her true self. Only her two best friends knowing the truth. But when Therese comes to her life, she’s willing to risk it all to be with her.The question is: Will Therese share the same opinion when they are standing in such a complicated position?
Relationships: Carol Aird & Abby Gerhard, Carol Aird & Genevieve Cantrell, Carol Aird & Harge Aird, Carol Aird/Therese Belivet, Genevieve Cantrell/Abby Gerhard, Therese Belivet & Dannie McElroy
Comments: 475
Kudos: 413





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> You thought I wasn’t going to give you a present for the Holidays? :P
> 
> I know many people would have preferred an update of ‘The Most Breathtaking of Gifts’ but while I was writing that story a lot of things started to happen in real life that were entirely overwhelming for me. As you know, that story it’s based on real events and I didn’t want the bad things happening staining something that it’s so very wonderful to me, so yeah… I needed to take of everything related to real life.
> 
> However, I didn’t want to feel like I wasn’t doing anything with my writing and I went to my folder of the stories I started but along the way lose the motivation to continue them, and reading one, I felt I was ready to finish it and I did so here we are.
> 
> Now I’m free to keep writing TMBoG, which it’s all my intention. But ‘adulting’ has become part of my life and I no longer have the free time I used to have to spend all my time writing, so bear with me. I will finish it, I haven’t changed my mind and I won’t ;)

Carol yawned very unladylike as she stretched, almost falling from the bench she was lying down.

Her eyes were fixated in the small rainbow that the splatter of the fountain’s water in front of her created, tempting her to move closer to it. It was a hot day, which didn’t help with her boredness, every second it passed, dipping her more and more into a drowsy state. Having breaks between classes wasn’t always great, especially when it was summer and it was the last class.

Carol let fall one of her legs, her foot making contact with the ground, resting the other over the armrest of the bench. She closed her eyes, opening them again sharply when she heard a soft moan. “For fuck’s sake, if you two can’t behave for a few minutes, you should go to a private place. You are worse than dogs in heat.” She was frowning when she turned her head to look at her friends.

Two girls were meters apart from Carol’s spot. One of them was lying down fully on the grass while the other was supporting her weight in only one arm and leg, the rest of her body resting over the other girl’s. They had been kissing until Carol spoke and both looked at her direction with dazed expressions.

Abby was the first one to react. “You are envious because you don’t have someone with whom to do this.”

Carol rolled her eyes, huffing. “I could if I wanted to, but I don’t want to because I’m not a dog in heat like you two.” Genevieve reacted only to lift her head, kissing her girlfriend’s neck, distracting her from whatever she was going to say. “I knew you two getting together would be my doom,” she grumbled. But it was only a pretense ─ she had been more than happy when they told her about their relationship going beyond friendship.

“What do you expect us to do during our break time? Getting bored like you?” Abby resumed their conversation but only after kissing her girlfriend.

“As if you could get bored. But at least you two should have a little consideration for your best friend and distract her instead of making out all the damn time.”

Abby rolled her eyes but Genevieve chuckled, pushing her off softly to be able to sit. “I don’t know why they didn’t let us leave sooner, we don’t even have a teacher for the last class.” He had quit, after only three weeks into their new semester, not able to deal with the mayhem one of the groups of the class always caused.

“You would believe that we are more easy to be stressed than them.” Abby sat next to her girlfriend, her legs stretched but crossed around the ankles, placing her arms behind her as support.

“That’s the main reason why you decided to study at The University of the Arts, isn’t it? Because it’s stress-free in your opinion?” Carol raised an eyebrow.

“Also because I like it but you can’t deny that it’s so much more stress-free than if we were studying medicine or something like that. And for you, it’s even more easy with the influence you have.” Carol frowned but she didn’t answer. “Anyway, why you aren’t sweating your ass off playing instead of sweating it without doing anything and annoying me for kissing my girlfriend?”

“I don’t spend all my free time playing, Abby.” She paused, wrinkling her nose. “The rest of the world is actually in class right now.”

“We could play with you to keep you entertained,” Genevieve add with innocence, rolling her eyes when she realized that Carol was looking at her with a lopsided grin whilst Abby narrowed her eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that! Get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Well, you better not because I don’t like to share.” Abby laughed when Genevieve punched her arm softly.

Carol snorted. “I appreciate the offer, Gen, but you two are quite terrible when it comes to tennis and I’m not in the mood to spend more time running after the ball instead of hitting it.”

Abby was opening her mouth to protest, but Carol daringly raising an eyebrow, made her change her mind because she was speaking the truth. “Your loss,” she sassed, shrugging before lying down on the grass, using her hands as a pillow. In the next second, Genevieve was doing the same but in her case, she used Abby’s shoulder as her headrest.

“You better not start making out again!” Carol closed her eyes, trying not to succumb to her desire of falling asleep in that very moment, smiling when she listened to the laugh of her friends.

* * *

Therese was nibbling at her bottom lip anxiously. In less than half an hour she would be in front of a handful of students, giving her first class.

The job offer took her by surprise, not because the semester started a few weeks ago but because she had been rejected the first time she applied for it. She couldn’t blame them ─ with her meek attitude and her tendency to blush at everything it was clear that they were going to eat her alive.

She sighed, closing her eyes, brushing her pixie short hair to the side. If it wasn’t because the money would be handy as she searched for something better, she wouldn’t be here.

Therese felt a hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly. “You are going to be fine, sweetie. They aren’t too terrible.”

The woman opened her eyes, focusing them on the man that was sitting next to her. She had met Daniel (“ _Dannie, if you want us to be friends_.”) barely fifteen minutes ago and he was already acting like they had been friends during all their lives. Fortunately, his relaxed and friendly attitude made things easier, instead of making her feel self-conscious due to a new social interaction.

“You say that because you are already used to it.” She frowned the slightest. “How long have you been teaching?”

“Overall around three years, in this school two. But it wasn’t too terrible as you are making it look, you are pale.” He took a swig of the soda he had in his hand.

“This is my natural color.” Her frown deepened.

He chuckled. “Okay, then let me put it like this: you look a little green.” Therese hid her face in her hands, grunting. “Look, they are going to challenge you. Just don’t mind them, the sooner they realize they can’t get to you, they are going to drop it.” He shrugged as if it was something easy.

“I thought this was college and not high school.”

“Yes, well, not all of them have matured yet so … and some people don’t behave like idiots during all their lives?” Therese took a deep breath. “However, I think I need to warn you about someone specifically.” She looked at him with concern. “She’s not a bad person,” part of Therese didn’t believe him because if he felt the needed to tell her beforehand then it was for something, “but I can’t deny that she’s somehow untouchable due to her connection.”

Therese snorted inevitably. “What, she’s the daughter of a mafia boss or something?”

Dannie smirked. “When you are a teacher, it feels like that. She’s the daughter of the principal.”

Therese’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?” When she received a nod, she whined. “But hey, maybe I’m lucky and I don’t have her in my classes.” Dannie looked away for a moment, making her narrow her eyes. “I won’t be, right?”

“Look, I’m serious when I say that she’s not the problem but a lot of people take advantage of who she is. They know that being her friends can be useful because they can get away with most of the things they want. That’s how they were able to make quit the previous teacher. For the class he was boring and they didn’t like him ─ since she was part of that group, they were pretty pushy because they knew he wouldn’t dare to stop them because she was there.”

“How are you able to deal with that?” Her eyes were furrowed with dread, already imagining her outcome. At least the other teacher lasted three weeks, she was sure she wasn’t going to last more than the day.

“Me? Are you kidding?! I’m gay and adorable. Everyone loves me,” he joked, hoping to relax her and she did smile but she also knew he was saying the truth.

“Well then, in a few minutes I’m going to be walking to my damnation. It was nice meeting you though.” It was meant to be a joke but her tone was devoid of it.

“Don’t be so melodramatic.” He rolled his eyes. “That’s why I’m warning you, I want you to succeed. Like I said, just don’t let them get under your skin.”

Therese hummed, not wanting to say something in concrete because she knew there was an entire world between an idea and the fact of actually carrying out with it.

As the minutes passed, she could feel her stomach tightening with apprehension, not even Dannie, who for some reason was telling her his coming out story, was able to distract her, his words sounding too far away even when he was next to her.

It was when they parted ways, saying goodbye in the door of the Teacher’s lounge that Therese realized she never asked him the name of the principal’s daughter, though she supposed the moment she saw her name, she would know.

* * *

When Therese arrived at the classroom, it was still empty because it was not yet the time when the class started, giving her a few seconds to relax but she had barely put her briefcase in the chair, opening it to pull out a book to give the impression she knew what she was doing when she listened the sound she was dreading to hear: steps entering the room.

She stiffened as the first students entered the room, but she didn’t lift her head even when she felt curious eyes on her, pretending like she was still alone. However, when she listened to a chorus of laughter, Therese couldn’t help to look up.

A group of three people was entering, not paying the slightest attention to her.

Therese noticed the curious peculiarity that the group was formed by a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. Two of them were holding hands as the taller walked behind them, with hands over a respective shoulder to pushed them forwards.

Therese’s lips parted when her eyes reached the blonde’s face, who turned into her direction at feeling the weight of a gaze on her, her smile now vanishing when their eyes meet, stopping dead in her tracks.

Therese held her breath, her heart halting for a millisecond before it beat furiously against her chest. She knew at that moment who she was facing, her body reacting with trepidation that she couldn’t more than relate to the fact of having the daughter’s principal in her class. Carol’s eyes diverted from Therese’s, slowly sliding down over her body in what the teacher took as assessing when in reality, the young woman was checking her out.

The moment was broken (for one thankfully and for the other one, unfortunately) when Abby, who was already climbing the stairs to take a seat, addressed her. “Move along, Carol!”

Therese gulped when Carol’s eyes locked with hers once again. She could feel herself blushing but she didn’t look away even when she wanted to; but at the same time, there was something mesmerizing in them that she was incapable of even trying to do it.

Carol was who looked away first, following her friends as if nothing had occurred. She sat next to Abby, resting her crossed ankles on the backrest in front of her.

“So, that’s the new teacher,” Genevieve whispered. “You knew?”

Carol shook her head, appearing a calm she didn’t feel, wishing that her father said something about it because facing that woman had been staggering. Her heart was still racing in a way that only a match was able to achieve. Without thinking, she freed her hair from her ponytail, running her fingers through the locks in an attempt to brush it, looking attentively to the woman that seemed somehow uncertain of how to proceed.

“All right, as you can imagine, I’m your new teacher. My name is Therese Belivet.” Carol’s eyes fluttered closed at the soft, timid voice. “I’m-”

“ _You_ are our teacher?” Carol’s eyes flew open when that voice shattered her relaxation and she frowned, not really surprised that Thomas ‘Tommy’ Tucker decided to do something right away. “At least you have some experience?” he asked with sarcasm.

“This is going to be interesting,” Abby whispered though she didn’t have much faith in their new teacher.

Therese frowned, feeling annoyed at the interruption instead of uneasy. “Since I’m standing right here, I definitely have more than you,” she surprised even herself by the sudden stimulus to prove herself as a collective murmur of uhhhs filled the room. “I don’t have any trouble to change my place with you if you think you can do better than me,” she said calmly, resting a hand over the desk, making eye contact with the young man that had talked, looking the way he frowned, taken aback by her reaction. _You and me both_. She had never felt something like this, always used to go unnoticed in the crowds though she knew that she couldn’t resort in that this time if she wanted to keep the job but deep down she knew that it wasn’t the only reason.

Carol’s smile was bright and wide, feeling giddy at the scene she was witnessing.

A part of her tried to ruin her pleasure by having the thought that perhaps the woman didn’t know who she was and once she did, this was going to change. But fleetingly, Therese’s eyes search for hers, and Carol’s heart skipped a beat at what she saw ─ the woman’s look was almost daring, letting her know that she definitely know who she was. Carol couldn’t feel more thrilled.

Therese only looked away when Tucker shrank on his seat, upset after not achieving what he was looking for, at the same time Carol winked at her, still grinning.

The rest of the class passed without further interruption. Therese mostly asked them questions to know what they learned with the previous teacher so she could have a clear idea of where to start for the next class, not wanting to bore them with things they already knew and took attendance, only to put a name to the faces.

All the time, Carol followed her with her eyes, completely mesmerized by this woman that in appearance she looked like the most compliant woman but in reality, there was an intense fire underneath. Therese was aware of it, she could feel the gaze on her, nervous for such scrutiny but she pretended it wasn’t affecting her in any way though she wondered if this was some kind of test all the teachers went through, wondering if it was a task her father gave her.

Only when Therese checked her clock, realizing the class had finished, she was able to breathe again. Even when she was proud of standing for herself instead of letting the students taking her as a game, she was glad everything was over, at least for that day.

Some students said goodbye to her as they left the room and she was putting away her things, reciprocating the words with a soft smile. Tucker instead, sent her a deathly glare that reminded her of a kid about to throw a tantrum. Abby, who was holding hands with the same girl (who Therese supposed was her girlfriend) when they arrived, looked at her impressed whilst Genevieve smiled at her.

Carol was going down the stairs slowly, waiting for everyone to leave. “That was … refreshing,” she said once she was standing in front of the desk.

Therese didn’t raise her head as she did with the other students but she looked at her by the corner of her eyes, not wanting to think much about the way her heartbeat quickened. “Excuse me?”

“To know there’s someone with the guts to act like a decent teacher, someone who doesn’t think that a class deserves a different treatment only because the principal’s daughter is part of it.” Carol shrugged. “Most of the people think that it makes me special in some way.”

“I’m pretty sure that what makes you special for the people who matter has nothing to do with who’s your father,” Therese blurted out without thinking, flustering once she realized what she said.

Carol blinked in surprise before chuckling, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “So you don’t care who my father is?” It was impossible to stop smiling when the other woman started to blush. Even when she was only watching her profile, it was clear.

“That’s not- I’m- I was only-” She didn’t even know what she was trying to say anymore.

The sound of the young woman’s laugh distracted Therese from any attempt to give an explanation, her body shuddering at the sound as she finally focused all her attention in her, which was a mistake.

During all the class, Therese avoided looking at Carol’s direction for the very precise reason for the way her body was reacting to her. At first, she was convinced that it was mere nerves that had to do with who she was but when Carol winked at her with that big smile and Therese’s mind blanked only able to think that the girl was beautiful, she completely freaked out at her reaction for endless of reasons. Now that there was nothing else to distracted her, it was clear that her thoughts were definitely taking a path where they shouldn’t be wandering though technically it wasn’t a crime to think someone was breathtaking.

“I’m just messing with you,” Carol clarified, drifting Therese away of her inner rambling, where she was scolding herself for going from beautiful to breathtaking in such a short period of time. “Though I do appreciate that you don’t treat me, or anyone else for that matter, differently. I hope that doesn’t change.” There was a tinge of hopefulness in her voice.

For Therese, it was surprising that Carol allowed herself to lower her walls enough to let her take a glimpse of her vulnerability. She didn’t know anything about her but she would be lying if she didn’t admit that she wrongly assessed the girl once she heard the news about Carol being the principal's daughter. She was expecting to face a person who benefited from that influence, someone with an unbearable arrogant attitude, but all her ideas were shattered with the reality of a young woman that only wanted to prove that being her father’s child wasn’t what defined her.

“Being the principal's daughter shouldn’t make you different. It doesn’t, not in my eyes. You are just a student like the rest of them.” Therese took her briefcase, smiling imperceptibly. “See you tomorrow, Miss Aird.” She made her way out of the classroom without looking back, knowing that doing it would only affect her more, missing the way Carol bit her lower lip, trying to stop the happy smile that appeared on her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Even though I made research to talk about the topics about careers/college, I have the feeling that it's not entirely accurate. Also, my friend MistressTeal told me that colleges are very confusing and such, so ... let's keep in mind that it's a story and we can make everything happen here if it sounds too unreal, lol.

* * *

“What do you think of your new teacher?”

Carol’s hand stop midway to her mouth before she resumed the motion, eating her food before answering. “She’s okay, I guess.” She shrugged, not wanting to show the real enthusiasm she actually felt.

Harge looked at her from the top of his glasses before returning his gaze to the newspaper he was holding. “I didn’t have much faith in her … I still don’t.” He took a swig of his coffee. “The two times I’ve seen her I feel like she’s an abandoned puppy who has no idea how to deal with the world.”

Carol hated to agree with his father about the puppy comment but she smiled a little because Therese in fact had an adorable vibe surrounding her though he was wrong about the fact that she wasn’t able to deal with the world. “She had a face-off with Tucker.”

“Did she?” He looked at his daughter once again, eyes widening a bit.

Carol hummed with her mouth full, speaking once she swallowed. “Like you, he thought she wasn’t competent for the job and she proved him wrong.” She purposefully made eye contact with the man in front of her though she wondered if there was a point when there was a chance her father didn’t even realize it.

They were having dinner in the dining room, with them sitting in each extreme of the table, which Carol hated because it was so fancy and big for only the two of them but Harge loved to brag about the fact that money wasn’t a problem for him. The only thing able to compete with that presumption was his love for his daughter. The moment Carol was born, she became his everything and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her, to the point that often he ignored his daughter’s true desires just because in his mind, everything he did was to make her happy and to take care of her. After Carol’s mother died, it became worse. They only had each other and his protectiveness turned suffocating.

“Well, I’m glad I hired someone qualified for the job.” Carol rolled her eyes, knowing very well that the main feature for her father to hire someone was the fact that they didn’t give many problems. At first instance, Therese shared it but after that confrontation, Carol was wondering how different she would turn out to be.

“For once,” she said under her breath, for once thankful of the ridiculous distance between them. She knew she wasn’t being fair because other teachers were good at their job, but if they treated her differently (which all of them did), for her they weren’t really teachers.

“Did you say something, sweetheart?” He wasn’t looking at her anymore.

“No, Dad.” Carol sighed, looking down at her unfinished food. “I’m going to my room, there’s some things I have to keep working on,” she lied, knowing that her father would never complain when she used college as an excuse.

“All right.” The pride was clear in his voice because Carol never had been the kind of child that a father needed to pressure to do what she need to do.

Carol smiled apologetically at the housekeeper, who narrowed her eyes at her for not finishing her food once she walked to retrieve the dishes as she walked to Harge’s side to kiss him goodnight. “See you.”

“Have a good day tomorrow.” He smiled lovingly when Carol backed down to look at him.

“Thanks, you too.” She smiled back, trying to not appear so eager to leave the room.

She loved her father but she was grateful that they didn’t saw each other much. Harge was often busy with college and Carol always arrived home when the night fell, either due to her trainings or simply because she avoided to be there, ending in Abby’s or Genevieve’s house, though since her friends became girlfriends she was trying to not be a third wheel. He wasn’t the most welcoming person to talk about things since he lived with an idea of how Carol’s life should be and no matter what she said, he wouldn’t change his mind.

The proof came when he said a derogatory comment about two boys he saw kissing one day. Carol was sure that he had no idea that her two best friends were lesbian (he undoubtedly would have tried to do something about it) because as much as he cared for her life, he wasn’t a real participant of it, at least not of the things that truly matter for her. Harge only cared for appearances and of course having two lesbians as friends, wasn’t a good image according to him. _I pity their parents_ , he had told her the day he started to rambled unexpectedly about the two boys, _I can’t imagine the shame they would feel having to put up with that_. It was a miracle that Carol managed to keep her temperament in place though she had bent the spoon she had been holding as she listened.

At least he didn’t have the power of doing something against that (he complained about it after telling the story) and Carol was glad that the board didn’t live in the past because it was 2019 for crying out loud. Due to that attitude, there were a lot of things that Harge didn’t know about his daughter, things he definitely wouldn’t see with good eyes, not caring that they were what made Carol who she was. Abby and Genevieve were the only ones who knew that being the principal’s daughter wasn’t as wonderful as some people thought.

Closing the door of her bedroom, Carol leaned against it, sighing with relief now that she was in her den. She flopped on her bed face up, stretching her arms at her side. Now that she was alone and she didn’t have to pretend at someone else’s eyes, a soft smile curved her lips when she thought about Therese. After the classes were over, Carol hadn’t been able to shake away the sensation of giddiness that the encounter gave her. She couldn’t put her finger if it was for the fact that Therese treated her like one of the rest or if it was for the fact that she found her new teacher stunning.

It wasn’t just her aspect what Carol found completely alluring but also the way she so passionately talked about the topic at hand. It was equally hard and interesting to imagine how Therese would be once she dwell in the practical side of their classes. There was a part of Carol that couldn’t help but feel lucky that a person like Therese, who made more sense to be in front of a camera instead of working behind them, had taken the choice of teaching when it was clear there was so much more potential in her.

Carol digged into her pocket to pull her cell phone out, rolling to her side to be in a more comfortable position. She opened the University website and for a moment, she deceived herself that she wasn’t going to do what she was thinking about but her fingers, with a mind of their own, swiped over the screen, clicking the right places to access the staff’s page. It didn’t count with much information as Carol would have liked and everything was on the professional side, but at that moment she was more interested in magnifying the picture of the profile.

Her heart skipped a beat, and it was silly because it wasn’t as if those brightful eyes were actually looking at her, but even in a single picture, Carol was able to feel her body shuddering at the sparkling sensation they were able to cause in her. With her thumb, she delicately traced the outline of the woman’s face, spending a good amount of time on her lips ─ it was only until her cell phone threw her the message that it was getting out of battery that Carol realized that she spent almost an hour mesmerized by a picture that didn’t do justice to the reality.

* * *

During their second class with Therese (for once Carol was hating the fact that she didn’t have daily classes of certain subjects because it was getting slightly complicated not to seem so eager to catch a glimpse of the woman at every possible second), Tucker, who undoubtedly was still seething from the last time, was unable to keep his mouth shut though it wasn’t surprising for anyone, not even for the teacher when she was new interacting with them, but for the first time, he did something nobody had done: using Carol’s name directly as a hidden card.

Because of it, all the class was now looking at her, Therese included, waiting for a reaction. Several fellows (Tucker and his friends) convinced that she was going to be on their side, if their smug smiles were some sort of clue. Carol moistened her lips with her tongue, shifting a bit on her seat, taking a relaxed position. She finally had the opportunity to put a stop to the madness her own father started a couple of months after she began college, when he casually mentioned who he was to a young man that was flirting with her. By the end of the day, everyone knew Carol was the principal’s daughter and people either avoid her or they only approached her for interest.

Her eyes locked with Therese’s for a moment though the teacher lowered her gaze almost right away. “You know what, Tommy?” Carol’s voice was full of sarcasm when she said his name, as if she was mocking him. “I think you are old enough to wander for life without me holding your hand.” She looked with satisfaction at the way their smug smiles vanished in surprise. “Don’t try to act like we are friends when we are not.”

The atmosphere turned into an uncomfortable silence because Carol’s message was clear ─ some students were looking at her as if they were doing it for the first time, others seemed almost angry but Carol was smiling, a weight abandoning her now that she had done something she wanted for so long. Therese had turned her back to her students so they couldn’t see the smile she wasn’t able to keep at bay. It was slightly strange to feel so proud of Carol but it was hard not to after knowing that for her, being the principal’s daughter was nothing more than a burden and she was finally doing something about it.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around, clearing her throat to draw their attention. “Anyway … now that that has been clarified.” She paused as some people chuckled. “I don’t want to judge your previous teacher, everyone has their own methods but I think that his idea of dealing with the theoretic aspect of this subject wasn’t the most appropriate way to go. When it comes to studying scenography it’s so much better to be involved directly in the practical aspect as you heard the necessary explanations.” Everyone was paying attention to her, excited with what this could mean, even Tucker.

Therese walked in front of the desk, leaning against it with crossed arms. The attention was too much and she could feel herself blushing but when she spoke, her voice didn’t waver. “We are going to spend the entire semester working to put up together a scenario. You are going to work in groups, you can choose with whom, just no more than five people but I’m going to be the one choosing randomly in what you are going to be working. We are going to discuss the topic together so, start giving ideas, the one with more votes it’s going to be the one and I don’t want complaints about it.”

There was a beat, filled with nothing but silence until the classroom suddenly erupted with eager voices throwing whatever idea came to their minds. Therese closed her eyes, wondering how she would be able to calm the excited students but when she opened them, her eyes suddenly found a person with her arm up, clearly waiting to be properly addressed. Therese, puzzled, didn’t react at first but the fact that she was distracted by something made the rest of the class start to look at Carol’s direction until everything was silent once again.

“Yes, Miss Aird?” Her voice was no longer authoritative but soft.

Carol lowered her arm. “My idea: victorian scenario.”

Therese blinked several times before her brain reacted. “Right.” She moved, walking to the chalkboard to write the words. “Anyone else?” Arms started to fly up immediately. They ended with six options and after voting, Therese underlined the one with more votes. “Post-apocalyptic, it is.” Carol wrinkled her nose, pouting slightly as most of the guys cheered. “Now, form your group, write down the names in a paper sheet and you will give it to me once the class is over.”

Carol didn’t move after the instruction. It wasn’t necessary since she already knew with whom she would form her group and Genevieve was already writing their names in a paper. By the corner of her eye, she saw Abby moving closer to her. “You know, it didn’t look like at first sight but she might know what she’s doing.”

Carol couldn’t help but smile. “Why did you doubt it, because she’s pretty?”

When Carol turned her head to look at her friend, she was looking at her with a raised eyebrow and amused smile. “Because it’s hard to believe she’s older than us. She looks like she barely graduated.”

“She’s thirteen years older than me.” She had gone back to look at Therese but when Abby didn’t say anything, her eyes went back to her. “What?” she asked when she found Abby’s raising both eyebrows now.

“You know this…?”

“It’s on the university’s page.” She shrugged.

“And you were curious to look at it because…?”

Carol rolled her eyes. “Don’t you feel curiosity when you meet someone?”

“Yeah but only if I like that particular someone is when I pay attention to those things.”

“Her age was right there, Abby, it’s not like I was digging in the deeps of the website to look for it.” She nibbled at her lower lip. “Though I won’t deny she’s attractive.”

“What are you two talking about?” Genevieve’s head appeared over Abby’s shoulder, where she rested her chin.

“Carol likes the new teacher,” she answered nonchalantly at her girlfriend.

“I didn’t say that!”

“You have always had good taste, Carol.” She completely ignored her friend’s retort.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Abby intervened before Carol could say something, moving so she could face Genevieve.

“Come on, babe. You can’t deny she’s beautiful. But you are so much more for me,” she hurried to add when she looked the way Abby narrowed her eyes.

“All right,” Abby yielded. “She’s pretty but not my style.”

“Yeah well, luckily for you is Carol who likes her and you have a girlfriend so I’m pretty the fact you don’t like her in that way won’t affect our lives.” She kissed Abby’s cheek.

Carol rolled her eyes and growled. “When did I say I like her?”

“You don’t need to, it’s clear.” Abby shrugged.

Carol snorted. “Clear how?!” She was getting louder without being aware, to the point she was drawing the other people’s attention.

Genevieve was who noticed but someone beat her to speak before she could warn them. “Are you done, ladies?”

Therese had her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised when Carol turned her head in her direction, a few students surrounding the desk since she was sitting behind it. She didn’t sound or look upset and her voice was lacking the authority she had been using to address the whole class but still somehow manage to make Carol feel guilty because she didn’t want to be like Tucker that managed to interrupt her classes. She didn’t say anything as she sat appropriately on her seat, her body facing back to the chalkboard, until Abby hit her leg with her own, as if Carol had the responsibility to get them out of this.

“Sorry about that.” She licked her lips, before opening her mouth again though she didn’t say anything because she couldn’t come up with a decent excuse.

Therese hummed. “Luckily for you, the class is over.” The young women had been so engrossed that they hadn’t even heard the bell. “But I’m guessing you have better things to do than staying here.” With that, she diverted her attention from the group to one of the students that were handing her a piece of paper.

Abby and Genevieve stood up, taking her things but the latter placed the sheet with their names on Carol’s desk before she could have the chance to stand. The only answer she got when she raised her head to look at her friend questioningly, was a wink. Huffing, Carol waited until their friends were going down the stairs to stand up and do the same. The couple was already getting out of the classroom as Carol walked towards the desk.

This time she didn’t look at Therese as she put the paper sheet over the edge of the desk before placing the tip of her fingers on it to push it towards the woman, wanting to leave it in a secure place before leaving but when she had a glimpse of Therese’s fingers moving to take it, Carol was incapable to avoid the way her eyes moved up through her arm until she was looking at her face. Therese was looking at her, and Carol was willing to bet that she blushed the lightest before she looked down at the paper she was holding.

“What would you like to do?”

Therese’s question took Carol by surprise. “What?”

Therese inwardly cursed herself but she couldn’t back off now that she made the question. “With the scenography.” Her eyes locked with the girl’s before looking away to place the paper sheet over the others.

“Why? You are going to give me whatever I want?” She frowned, thinking that perhaps Therese was like the rest but she wouldn’t make it obvious.

“No, of course no,” she replied calmly but her blush was clearer now. “It’s going to be random like I said and you are going to be a witness of that.” She made eye contact once again. “I’m just curious about what you like the most.”

Carol’s mouth opened a bit in surprise, her heartbeat quickening. “Uhm, custom design … any kind of characterization of the characters.” Therese’s smile was soft, almost dreamy and Carol wondered if her heart was going to be back to its normal pace ever again. “What about you? What you like the most?” Her interest was raw.

Therese didn’t answer right away as Carol was expecting, for a moment she even seemed hesitating as she looked through the door. “The stage design,” she finally said but she didn’t look as relaxed as before, in fact, she got up. “Good luck with getting what you want the most, Miss Aird.” Her voice was still soft but the dismissal was loud and clear.

Therese felt bad when she look Carol’s disappointed expression in the last glimpse she gave her when the young woman said goodbye to her before leaving the classroom. Once alone she sat back on the chair, rubbing her face with her hand as she let out a deep sigh due to her brief moment of lack of judgment. She wanted to reassure herself that she hadn’t done anything wrong by asking Carol that, any teacher could be interested in their students’ preferred choices, but she knew that doing it when it was only the two of them was crossing a line that turned it personal.

This might be her first time teaching but she was painfully aware that what she was doing, that uncontrollable need to know more about Carol was something she shouldn’t be feeling and much less acting under such influence. Feeling curiosity about the girl was something Therese wasn’t able to deny to herself ─ it wasn’t only the fact that she could see an exciting vibe coming out from her that reminded her of herself when she talked about what she liked the most, making her wish to get closer to share something they both loved but also the nagging questions that gathered in her mind that wanted to know more about Carol’s life.

Therese hadn’t stop thinking that the Carol she had seen the first time they were left alone, was a version of her that nobody else had ever had the chance to see before, because Carol hadn’t been the only one paying attention, taking glimpses of the other woman whenever they got the chance and she saw they way Carol dealt with life with her walls up all the time. Though Therese knew that wandering through that path was dangerous and not really an option, reason why she would have to put a stop before things got out of control and gave the wrong idea, no matter how strong it was her need to get to know her.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! I hope all your dreams come true!


	3. Chapter 3

Carol tried not to give much thought at the way Therese dismissed her that day but when days went by, turning into weeks, and the woman pretty much ignored her now, she couldn’t help but wonder if she had done something wrong. Perhaps Abby was right and her attraction was too damn obvious. Carol supposed it was fair to accept it after her _goddamned_ best friend, in an attempt to make her admit the truth, lied to her, telling her Therese was coming and in her distraction, wanting to see her, she almost fell on her ass if it hadn’t been for Genevieve.

She had supposed it was going to be different once the project to put together the scenography started, but it hadn’t been the case. Whenever Therese moved to evaluate their progress, she always addressed them as a group without looking at Carol’s direction, not even when Carol was giving so much more than her best because she might haven’t been lucky to get her favorite option but set design was her second, and not only that, but it was also Therese’s and she wanted to make her feel proud.

At least she wasn’t too pathetic to feel sad about it, she was simply irritated.

“All right, guys, the class is over in ten minutes so we are done for today. Start to gather your things.”

Carol looked at Therese, who was sitting in the first row of seats, right in the middle. They were working in one of the theaters of the university. Carol knew that it had taken some time to convince her father to agree to give them one entirely for them for the rest of the semester because Harge always commented about every encounter with the teacher, clearly impressed because she hadn’t back down after the first negative she received. That and the fact that Carol didn’t hide her excitement for Therese’s plans were what made Harge yield in the end.

Therese lifted her head, undoubtedly feeling the weight of someone’s gaze on her. Like a natural reaction, she almost smiled when her eyes found Carol’s but she remembered just in time to not do it, diverting her gaze instead. Carol huffed, almost tearing apart the piece of cardboard she was holding. Students started to leave the place and Carol was right behind her friends, they had already crossed the door of the theatre, when she changed her mind. She couldn’t keep going without knowing what had happened so after letting Abby and Genevieve that she would catch up with them later, Carol made her way back, sitting sideways on one seat of the last row with her legs over the armrest, waiting for everyone to leave.

Therese didn’t become aware of Carol’s presence since only the lights of the stage were on, darkening the top of the room. It was only until the woman was in the middle of climbing the stairs that Carol revealed herself, smirking when she saw Therese’s silhouette jumping before she cursed. “You scared the shit out of me.” Carol wondered how it was so endearing to hear someone who looked as innocent as Therese, to swear.

She contemplated apologizing just to be polite but in the end, there were more important things she needed to deal with. “What did they tell you?”

“They?” Since Therese hadn’t resumed her climbing, Carol couldn’t see her face yet but the confusion was clear in her voice. “What are you talking about?”

“You … you changed out of nowhere. You were so kind the first week and now you can barely look at me.” She frowned, realizing how whiny she was acting. “And I can only assume someone said something to you because I didn’t do anything wrong.” She tried to sound determined with that last fact but the tone of doubt was there.

There was a deep sigh followed by silence. Carol looked down at her lap because even when she couldn’t see Therese, it didn’t work in the same the other way around since she was sitting close to the door and soft lighting came from it. “Carol …” the aforementioned was more than willing to forget everything without any explication if Therese promised to always call her by her name from now on, it didn’t matter if every time she caused a shiver going down her spine like this time. “Of course you didn’t do anything wrong and nobody said anything to me but I’m supposed to be your teacher, not your friend.”

“Why can’t you be both?” Therese chuckled at the indignant sound of her voice.

“I’m sure you are aware that teachers and students can’t develop a friendship, it’s not well seen.” She finally started to move again.

“Because there could be favoritisms?” Therese hummed in affirmation and Carol snorted. “I’m the principal’s daughter, you think I don’t have them already, even if I don’t want them? At least I should take advantage of that for once with something I actually want.” Therese closed her eyes, shuddering and stretching an arm to hold from a backrest. “I’m not … I’m not asking you to hang out with me around the campus without any care in the world, because I get it … I do, but we can be friends, nobody has to know.” There was actually a part of Carol that wanted to keep it as a secret because it made her feel like in that way she could have Therese all for herself.

Carol turned her head in Therese’s direction when she didn’t answer and she gulped because the teacher had moved without making any sound. She was still a few rows away from where Carol was sitting but she was close enough to the light to make her visible, which was all Carol needed to feel spellbound with her beauty like every time she laid her eyes on her. Therese was looking at her with softness, her head tilted in a contemplative way, wondering why she couldn’t seem to have the power to say no to her as she probably should.

“You make impossible trying to act with logic,” Therese said without thinking, giving a clear example, blushing once she was conscious of her words.

Carol stood up right away, walking to where the woman was. “Does that mean we can be friends?” She placed her hand next to Therese’s on the backrest.

The woman lowered her gaze to their hands, watching how Carol’s clenched hers into a fist as if she was trying to resist herself from something. “I don’t think you will accept a no for an answer, Miss Aird.” And it wasn’t like Therese actually wanted to say that no.

Carol’s bright smile could be a good contender against the sun at that moment. “Can I be Carol when it’s only the two of us?”

Therese pursed her lips for a moment but it was simply impossible to stop herself from smiling widely. Carol felt her legs trembling and she had to sit on the armrest of the seat next to her for a moment when Therese revealed her lovely dimples. She was feeling a strong desire to voice how beautiful she found the other woman but she bit her tongue to avoid it, knowing that she would be testing her luck and she didn’t want to ruin what it was happening at the moment. Perhaps she would have the chance at another moment but this wasn’t the right time for it.

“I’m going to think about it …” Therese teased, making the young woman pout. “... Carol.” The same shiver caused Carol to close her eyes, sighing contentedly. “Don’t you have a class to go to?”

For a brief moment, Carol felt the upsetting sensation that Therese was pushing her away again but luckily her brain reminded her what day it was before making a fool of herself though she was tempted to do it, this time in the way of telling Therese that there wasn’t another place she would prefer to be in that moment. However, that was also one of the things she shouldn’t be voicing just like that and even when spending time with Therese was what she wanted the most, she wouldn’t be abusing of her ‘power’ to skip classes, because that could only cause problems for the other woman.

“True.” At the time she stood up, she unclenched her fist, her fingertips brushing Therese’s hand.

Therese held her breath, feeling an electric sensation when Carol, who was feeling like she deserved some kind of reward after the two times she held her tongue back, caressed the back of her hand, drawing the veins with her fingers. The moment didn’t last long but it was enough to affect Therese, who gulped forcefully, watching Carol smile playfully before turning around, stopping in the row where she had been sitting to take her satchel. Without a word, she headed next towards the door but she halted before leaving the room, turning only her head.

“See you later … Therese.” She left the room, not waiting for an answer, missing the way this time it was the teacher who needed to sit down for a moment.

* * *

It wasn’t surprising that college was Carol’s favorite place to be now, even when she didn’t have classes with Therese. As long as she could see her at some point, it was enough to make her feel in a giddy state for the rest of the day. But undoubtedly, Carol’s favorites days were those when they were able to spend the lunchtime together, especially because it had been Therese who started them.

The first day it happened, instead of making her way towards the cafeteria with Abby and Genevieve, Carol was wandering through the halls alone, for once not because she was looking for Therese but because she realized she had left behind one of her books, having to make her way back to the classroom. After retrieving it, she had all the intention to go with her friends when someone called her name as she passed by one of the other classrooms.

Carol’s heart skipped a beat, in a way she was getting used to it by now, when she saw Therese smiling at her before making a gesture with her hand, prompting her to go to her, which Carol did without even contemplating there could be another reaction.

The woman was sitting behind the desk but she stood after Carol crossed the door. She was holding something that Carol didn’t pay attention to it, too distracted by looking at her face to be aware of anything else. Therese walked towards the students’ desks that were closer to the wall, sitting and then looking at Carol, who only needed a second before she was sitting next to Therese.

There wasn’t any words exchanged. It was only until the teacher moved an arm towards the young woman, who finally realized she was holding a Tupperware with cookies and she took one, when Therese began the conversation.

Carol felt in heaven since then, though at the same time she was aware that she was falling deeper into an endless hole but whenever she saw the way Therese’s eyes looked at her with interest, or the way she softly smiled after Carol shared something important with her, or how she blushed when Carol couldn’t help herself, reaching to brush her fingers against her hand for a brief moment, she knew she couldn’t care less. Because if Therese didn’t mind, there was no reason to worry about it.

After that day, they started to do it once a week, never the same day because they didn’t want to raise suspicions though Abby, every time it happened, asked Carol where had she been, not quite believing her friend was telling the truth when she said that she stayed talking with her tennis’ fellows but fortunately, never dwelling into the situation.

Therese sighed deeply, trying to focus in the papers in front of her that she had to grade instead of being daydreaming, reliving the earlier moment when Carol appeared before she had a chance to leave the classroom, with both arms behind her back, only revealing the bag of food (because according to her, it was only fair that she contribute to their friendship too, as if her presence wouldn’t be enough for Therese) once they were sitting.

She was a little delayed in the task because Carol’s arrival caught her by surprise since they had eaten together just the previous day, reason why she decided to take cover in the teacher’s lounge because she wasn’t sure she would be strong enough to focus in what she should be doing if there was the risk to came upon Carol again.

“Hi, gorgeous.”

Therese rolled her eyes but she smiled, already used to her friend’s peculiar ways to address her. “Hi, Dannie.” She looked at him without raising her head, finding him looking at her with a dreamy smile. “What?”

“Nothing, you already know. If there’s a woman with the power to turn me straight, it would be you.” He placed a hand over his heart, sitting on the chair that was in front of her. The first time he told her that, Therese had been puzzled, turning all shades of red, not knowing how to respond until she managed an awkward thanks because it was a compliment ─ an original even if odd way to compliment her, but that was what it was nevertheless.

Now, every time Dannie said that, Therese acted like he didn’t say anything at all. “What brings you here, Dannie?” It wasn’t often to see the teachers in the lounge since more often than not they were inside a classroom unless it was to do what Therese was doing but Dannie wasn’t pulling out anything from his briefcase.

“I was looking for you. It’s been a while since we talked. How is the school treating you?”

Therese shrugged though she had a fleeting image of blonde hair, grey eyes, and a breathtaking smile. “I can’t complain.”

“And you were thinking you wouldn’t even last a day. You have been here for two months already! At least you beat the other teacher.” He smiled, pleased.

Therese’s eyes widened and she paused her task to look at him. “Two months?” Dannie nodded. “Wow, I wasn’t even aware of that.”

“I’m sure you aren’t aware of the other thing either.” This time his smile turned quite mysterious.

“What another thing?” Therese narrowed her eyes, feeling apprehensive even though there was no way he could have seen something.

“You are quite popular between the rest of the staff for doing the impossible: not being affected by the Airds’ influence.”

Therese rolled her eyes once again. “Who says I’m not affected?” There was especially one Aird that was affecting her more and it had nothing to do with her job. “I’m just trying to do my job and what it’s the best for my students despite that.”

“Probably, but nobody had dared to push once the Principal says no to something.” He stretched his arms, placing his hands behind her head.

She wouldn’t admit it out loud but every time Therese had an encounter with Harge, she was trembling like a leaf afterwards because he was an intimidating person. With only one look at him, it was clear that things should go in the way he wanted and there wasn’t any other possible option. Which why, the first time he told her no when she requested permission for the theater, she had felt so disappointed that all her motivation to try again vanished away from her.

Therese was willing to give up without a second try ( _it’s not ideal but it’s not the end of the world if we work in the classroom_ , she thought) until later that day she got a glimpse of Carol as she was leaving for the day, and just like the first day, she felt the need to prove herself that she wasn’t like the rest of the other people working in that place.

She had refused to give much thought about such reaction.

“As I said, I’m just trying to do my job and what it’s the best for my students,” Therese repeated, looking down at the papers, resuming her task.

“Yeah well, everyone is in awe of you. Professors and students, because it’s not only that but the fact that you treat Carol like one of the rest.”

_If only you knew_. Therese didn’t raise her head until she was sure her blush disappeared. “She’s just a person, Dannie.” She had to bit her tongue to not add that being treated like one was what Carol wanted.

“Believe me, I know.” He untangled his fingers to place his arms over the table. “But I have to admit I’m not as brave as you are. My first year teaching here, Carol purposefully failed her exam.” He sighed. “I knew she knew everything in the exam because during our classes she always answered right, so I knew this was a test to see if I would fail her or not. I wanted to do things right so I did it, but later that week I had a meeting with her father.” Another sigh. “In the end, I had to tell my students that the exam was just a warm-up and we would have the real one the next week.”

Therese was sure that Carol wouldn’t do something like that with her but it was still upsetting that it was her father who took advantage of his power to build Carol’s life. “She never did something like that again?”

“No, as I said, she’s not the problem. I mean, she only challenges a new teacher once, to know how the dynamic is going to be. Luckily, that was the only time she did it with an exam because she realized it involved people that has nothing to do with the situation.”

Therese smiled softly at Carol’s thoughtfulness. It might have failed her once but the moment she saw her wrongs, she changed her ways. “Well …” she spoke once she realized Dannie was looking at her expectantly, though she wasn’t even sure what she would say. “We should see what happens in my case, perhaps Miss Aird still haven’t thrown away the idea to test me in some way,” she said, not actually believing it.

“Perhaps,” Dannie conceded. “But I also think that you are the one who’s going to make some sort of difference.” He seemed so sure of his words that Therese ended up lowering her head, pretending to go back to work, before her expression betrayed her in possible anyway, trying to ignore the way her heartbeat accelerated hopefully.


	4. Chapter 4

Therese was not having a good day.

First; it was Saturday and she had to go to the University because there was a reunion to organize the traditional Halloween party ─ she would have thought that students were too old for this but apparently you were never too old to celebrate Halloween because even some teachers were pretty eager about the idea and she couldn’t deny that she was excited with the prospect of decorating.

Two; she arrived late because her car decided to give her troubles, suddenly turning off three times in her way.

Three; everyone was already there when she stepped into the teacher’s lounge, and there was nothing more enjoyable than walking towards a free seat with all eyes on you (she felt back in high school).

Four; the reunion stretched more than expected, which made her anxious because she had another appointment to go to.

Five; when it was time to leave, she hurried to her car, seeing that she could still make it (it wouldn’t be the first time she would be late that day) when the damn thing didn’t turn on at all.

Six; it was Saturday and there was no chance she could see the person who made her days brighter even when the universe decided to take it against her.

Therese slammed the car door when she stepped out of it, looking skywards while she momentarily rested against it, wanting to scream. She didn’t know why she was walking towards the hood, with all the intention to open it and have a look because she didn’t have the slightest clue when it came to cars, but she did it anyway, hoping to find some sort of message that pointed out what was the problem. She rested her hand over the edges of the hood, bending a little, her eyes moving to one side to another, as expected, not having a clue to what could be the problem.

“Do you need help?”

The voice was enough to make Therese shudder through the fog of surprise, but when she turned around to look at Carol, what she saw, left her speechless.

Carol’s face was red, and sweat was falling from her temples and neck, which she was dampening with the towel that hanged from her shoulders, clearly coming out of a match, or at least some of her trainings. She wasn’t looking at her but at the hood of the car and Therese couldn’t help herself ─ her gaze swept down Carol’s body, her breath stucking in the back of her throat at the uniform that consisted in sport shorts and a close-fitting sleeveless shirt, both black with white hems, that revealed slightly muscular limbs.

Carol was too exhausted to realize Therese was taking too long to answer. She had spent all day training because there was going to be a match by the end of that month and whenever that happened, she came every Saturday to train. After three hours, she wanted nothing more than to go home, take a shower and sleep until the night before she had to reunite with her friends to go to a party that at the moment, she wasn’t looking forward to. But as she was about to get inside her car, Carol had heard the slam of a door, and saw who was behind it, knowing she couldn’t waste the chance.

Only when the silence started to feel almost tense, which wasn’t common between them, Carol looked at Therese’s direction with confusion. At the sight of a Therese with her lips slightly parted, a soft blush appearing in her cheeks, her gaze moving up and down but never looking at her face, when understanding hit her, Carol smiled knowingly, pleased, but she knew the best course of action was pretending like that wasn’t happening even when internally she was jumping excitedly.

During all this time, she knew it was wishful thinking to hope that Therese liked her in such way ─ she hadn’t want to get too excited with the little proofs she was having because after all, someone’s mind gets fuzzy when you are attracted to someone but more importantly Therese was her teacher, and in Carol’s opinion, there was no way than a woman like her, with more experience and with an appearance that would put anyone she wanted at her feet, would be interested in a girl like her.

“Um, Therese?” Carol hoped the exhilaration wasn’t clear in her tone.

The woman blinked, finally looking up at Carol’s face. Her eyes widened and her blush deepened, as if only in that moment she was conscious that she was there. “C-Carol? What are you doing here?”

Raising an eyebrow, Carol looked around for a moment. “Here as in here with you or in the school?”

“In the school. It’s Saturday … right?” She was suddenly unsure because she was feeling a little lightheaded.

Carol chuckled. “Yes, it’s Saturday, I come to train every Saturday when there’s a match coming.” Therese nodded distractedly. “So, you need help?”

“I’m sure I do since my car it’s not turning on.” She growled after speaking. “But I would have to call someone since I have no clue what could be wrong.” She pulled her cell phone out of her jacket, growling again. “The problem is that I can’t stay here waiting until someone comes.”

“Must be the battery.” Carol mumbled, looking at the car before focusing her gaze back to the woman. “You need to be somewhere?”

Therese was looking at her, slightly impressed. “Yeah, I have an appointment with a chance to get a job offer.” She said without thinking, looking ashamed when Carol looked surprised. “I mean, I wouldn’t leave this job, at least for this semester … actually this was my second option in the meanwhile.”

“It’s okay, I get it.” Carol smiled but she felt apprehensive at the prospect of Therese leaving. “So, you need to get there and you don’t have how.”

“I’m going to get a cab.” There was a cab-stand outside the university but the journey from the parking lot to there was quite long.

“Or I could take you,” Carol said nonchalantly.

The young woman almost laughed at Therese’s bewilderment expression, as if Carol had told her that she was the Queen of some country instead of receiving a simple proposal. “What?”

Carol shrugged. “You need someone to take you, I can do it. Actually, how about this? I take you, then I come back to deal with this problem,” she pointed at the car with one hand, “while you are in your appointment and when you are done, I bring you back.” Therese was opening her mouth and Carol had an idea what she would say because she looked uncertain. “It’s just a friend wanting to help another when she can, Therese, there’s no secret agenda.”

“I know that,” she acknowledged softly, because she did know that Carol wouldn’t do something just to take advantage of it later but after her reaction to her just a moment ago, she wasn’t sure if she should spend more time with her than the necessary because she had clenched to her denial when it came to her attraction towards her _student_ (in a desperate attempt that was how she referred to Carol in her mind) as if it was her oxygen. Getting closer to her was definitely a mistake that even when she was aware of it, couldn’t help but make because being around Carol made her feel … delighted. There was also the foolish idea that since she was the older one, she had to have the strength to control herself but now, looking at Carol like this, it made simply impossible to keep pretending that she wasn’t affected by her, no matter how much her brain reminded her how wrong she was acting.

“So, would you let me help you?”

Therese wondered, not for the first time, what it was about Carol that made disappear all her concerns in just a second. She also wanted to believe that it was an innocent gesture, like Carol said, just a friend helping another and there was nothing wrong in that. _Right?_ And she really needed to get going if she wanted to get to that appointment. “You would be doing me a huge favor.”

Carol beamed, making Therese inevitably smile. “All right, let’s go then.” Before Therese could move to close the hood of the car, Carol did it. “You have everything you need?” she asked, already knowing the answer because the woman wasn’t holding anything, pressing with her hands after lowering the hood to make sure it was well closed.

“No … hang on.” Walking to the driver’s door, Therese hurried to fetch her briefcase. “Done,” she said straightening up and closing the door.

Therese followed Carol when she started to walk towards her car, not hurrying to catch up with her, preferring to remain a little behind, like she was trying to mentally prepare herself for the minutes they would spend alone together in a small space. Carol contemplate the idea of opening the car door for Therese but after realizing that a simple gesture like that would reveal so much, she ended up making her way directly to the driver’s side ─ Therese was doubtful enough to keep testing her luck.

They were silent once they were inside with the doors locked and as they fasten their seatbelts. It wasn’t uncomfortable or awkward but both were aware that there was something different hanging between them.

“Where to?” Carol asked as she started the engine, looking at Therese askance.

“You know the plaza at the center?” It was a stupid question because it was the main plaza of the city and everyone knew it. However, Carol didn’t tease her, she only nodded. “There.”

Therese tried to not look at Carol as she drove them to their destination, focusing in the cars that either pass them or the ones they left behind. But even if she wasn’t looking at her, her thoughts always drift back to Carol in some way, like at that moment, contemplating the way she drove ─ she did it with a relaxed confidence that Therese envied because she was a bundle of nerves every time she was behind the wheel, always overwhelmed by the need to put attention to everything.

Without intending to, Therese slowly turned her head, her gaze downcast, finding Carol’s legs first. She licked her lips when the right thigh tightened as the young woman moved her leg to press down the brake pedal. Therese felt a spasm in her fingers as she wondered how would it feel to touch, chastising herself for her thoughts though she couldn’t keep her eyes from keep sliding up.

Carol was holding the steering wheel with her right hand, the elbow of her other arm resting on the edge of the half open window, her fingertips loosely touching the wheel. Therese hurried in that part, to not pay much attention into the fact that the garment Carol was wearing looked incredibly good on her. She tried to remind herself, over and over again, how inappropriate this was but apparently, this day, that didn’t seem to work.

Carol was aware of the scrutiny she was under. She didn’t need to look at Therese to confirm it because she could feel exactly where her eyes were because she was having a peculiar sensation of goosebumps wherever Therese was focusing in that moment. She felt herself blushing when she finally reach her face but she hoped it could go unnoticed with the idea that it had to do with her previous redness due to the training though there was nothing she could do with the way her heartbeat sped up.

In retrospect, Carol couldn’t care less if her attraction was obvious but it was clear that Therese most likely would freak out and put a distance between them so she attempted to conceal it.

It wasn’t a long ride and they did it in complete silence. Therese noticed when Carol started to lowered the speed to get into the parking lot of the plaza and it was then when she was able to pull herself out of the revering she had fallen into, clearing her throat as she shifted on the seat, looking onwards when she noticed that her lips were slightly parted and her mouth had gone dry after spending a good amount of time looking at Carol, who couldn’t help but smile once Therese wasn’t paying attention to her anymore.

“I can’t thank you enough for this,” Therese whispered when Carol halted the car to a stop.

“It’s nothing, really. Happy to help you.” She smiled sincerely though she frowned when Therese reached for her wallet, pulling out some money, stupidly thinking that she was going to pay her for what she had done.

Therese felt puzzled by the upset expression in Carol’s face but when she saw her eyes focused in her hand, she hurried to clarify. “Uhm, I’m sure you are going to need to pay for a new battery or whatever happened with my car. I mean, you don’t have to do it if you changed your mind.”

The relief in Carol was obvious but Therese couldn’t tell if it was for the clarification or because she had the chance to be relieved of the task. “No, it’s okay. I’ll do it, I just thought …” she lowered her head, a little ashamed. “Nevermind, I was wrong.” Her smile was back. Therese smiled reassuringly and when Carol stretched her arm to take the money, she lowered her gaze, pushing her fingers back before there was any kind of contact because she was already on edge. She feared what it could happen if Carol touched her. “So … you want me to come back after a certain time or you want me to give you my number so you can send me a message when you are done?”

* * *

Carol made her way to the mechanical workshop where her father always sent their cars for the yearly overhaul after saying goodbye to Therese, according to be back in two hours.

She was expecting this but there was a deflating sensation at not being able to get away with the other option though she supposed it was for the best because getting Therese’s number … yeah, it was a good thing that someone else was thinking straight in all this because Carol was simply unable to do it.

She was known in that place because behind her father’s back, Carol managed to stay around while they worked with their cars, always enjoying to learn what Harge considered ‘not necessary for a woman to know’ so the moment one of the workers saw her, he made his way to attend her, greeting her friendly as he cleaned his greasy hands with a cloth.

It didn’t take long to explain the situation and the young man agreed with Carol that it could be the battery. All the same, even when she was capable to deal with the change of a battery on her own, Carol thought it was a good idea that he followed her to check the car just in case there was any other problem.

They made their way to the university, taking a brand new battery to not lose time with an extra ride ─ it came in handy that Carol had been paying attention and knew the brand and year of the car beforehand.

Parking next to Therese’s car, Carol stepped out of her own to walked towards it and opened the hood. After a few minutes, the young man was working to change the battery once he confirmed that was the problem.

Carol leaned against her car waiting, so lost in her thoughts that she startled when her cell phone ringed. “Hey you.”

“Are you in your house already?” Carol wondered if Abby know the ways to greet someone because she never did it, unless it was kissing Genevieve.

“No. Something came up and I’m dealing with it.” She ran a hand through her hair.

Abby groaned. “You are not going to cancel on us, right?”

“Would it matter much? You and Gen could have alone time without having to worry for me.” Her eyes fluttered close, suddenly feeling all the tiredness.

“Carol … you know we like to be with you,” she said softly though there was a trace of guiltiness.

“I know that, Abby, I’m not trying to make you feel bad. But you guys still are in your honeymoon period and I get it, I do, I don’t have any problem if you guys want to be alone.” There was nothing but honesty in her voice.

“So, you’re not coming?”

“I don’t know,” she said truthfully. “I’m exhausted and I still have to go home to take a shower and get ready.” She sighed. “I’m not saying no, let me see how I feel in a few hours, okay?” She caught the mechanic looking at her. “I have to go, talk to you later.” She hanged up before giving Abby the chance to say something else.

“All done,” he confirmed when Carol got closer. “You only need to start the engine to assure everything works fine now.”

Carol did it, smiling once it roared. “Thanks for your help,” she thanked after turning it off and closing the door, handing him the money. He winked at her after their goodbyes and the young woman managed to not roll her eyes until he was driving away.

Barely forty-five minutes had passed so Carol decided to go to her house to take a shower. Once in her bedroom she was contemplating to dress in comfortable clothes but she made an effort, trying to stick with her plans for the night with her friends. After the shower, she was even more exhausted and she was eying the bed with longing but at the same time she felt a little more perky.

Dressed with capri jeans, a long white blouse with spaghetti straps (that the daredevils would use as a mini dress) and comfortable sneakers, Carol was out of her house to not have the temptation to fall asleep, deciding to do her makeup in the car as she waited for Therese because there was still thirty minutes left.

However, ten minutes after parking in the same place she had done it the first time she had been there that day and applying a little of powder blush in her face, there was a knock on the passenger’s window that caused her to jump, smearing the lip-gloss she was putting on her lips outside these. Carol unlocked the doors so Therese could get in, who did it as soon as she got the chance, resting her head on the headrest, sighing deeply as she closed her eyes. Carol didn’t look away from her, trying to read her mood but it wasn’t necessary to be a genius to know things hadn’t gone well.

“That bad, huh?” she asked softly, trying to joke.

Therese chuckled at Carol’s attempt to lighten the atmosphere. “I can’t say I made the greatest first impression by being late.” She was always torn between loving and hating the fact that it was so easy to talk with her.

Carol wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Well, that wasn’t precisely your fault.”

“Or when I apologized for being late because the meeting in my other job lasted longer than I expected,” she added, opening her eyes but still not looking at her companion.

This time Carol cringed. “Now _that_ was your fault.”

“I know, I tend to talk without thinking when I’m nervous. They said they’ll call me but everybody knows what that means.” She shrugged as if she hadn’t been truly interested in that job.

“Their loss,” Carol said, almost reverently.

It was finally in that moment when Therese turned her attention to the young woman, her eyes briefly taking in her new outfit but it was hard to stay focused in it (her eyes caught enough to think it was unfair it existed someone who looked so gorgeous in anything she wore) with the smudge in the corner of Carol’s mouth. Instinctively, Therese reached out to clean it away, rubbing with her thumb, pressing with the necessary amount of force to get rid of the extra lip-gloss but without wanting to hurt.

Carol held her breath the moment Therese touched her, completely awestruck because it was the first time the other woman started any kind of contact between them. She felt as if someone was provoking a fire right there where she was being stroked, a fire that spread all over her body as the caress lasted. Carol closed her eyes, eyebrows furrowing in a defeated gesture, allowing herself to lower her guard to enjoy the moment without reservation for a moment because she didn’t want Therese to realize just how deeply she affected her but she quickly opened her eyes when she felt the thumb losing its determination.

Carol clearly saw the moment the woman was hit by the consciousness of what she had done because her eyes widened (and she felt an exhilarating sensation embracing her because she had been the one able to cause that without even intending to) but not wanting that Therese lessened the magic of the moment, she spoke. “Your car is well and functional. It was the battery as I imagined.”

Blinking several times as if she was trying to recover her senses after being struck, Therese smiled shyly in gratitude. “Thank you again for all your help, Carol, you didn’t have to.”

“Right.” Carol averted her gaze away from her to start the engine and make their way to the university, but she purposely made eye contact for her next words. “But I wanted to.”


	5. Chapter 5

_I have completely lost my mind_ , Therese thought, falling onto the couch of her living room. There was no other explanation about why at that moment she was waiting for Carol’s arrival. In her own department.

A week had passed since that weekend where Carol helped Therese with her car. When Monday arrived, there was a part of Therese that expected to be called to the principal’s office, demanding her to put a stop to this madness, even when she knew that Carol would never do something like that, because the other option was stop fighting against every reason of why she shouldn’t feel attracted to Carol.

She had felt beyond flattered when she saw the signs in the young woman ─ how could she not when a woman more than ten years younger than she found her attractive? After what happened in her personal life, it was reassuring. However, she didn’t give it much importance because nothing would happen, but after spending time with Carol, after getting to know her little by little, her walls were crumbling down, making impossible not to feel lured by her. Therese’s thoughts about finding Carol breathtaking now taking more strength because it wasn’t only her appearance but also her way to be.

And Therese had been in hell since she finally accepted her attraction for her.

Fortunately, Carol, who seemed to be in her path of getting a degree when it came to reading Therese’s moods, didn’t mention anything about that day, putting a distance between them that made Therese felt grateful because it made things a little bit easier, allowing her to keep berating herself for being so weak whenever she was in the young woman’s presence. The last proof of such weakness happened on Wednesday. After finding their distance unbearable, Therese told Carol to wait for a second after their class was over.

Therese sincerely had all the intention to mention what transpired on Saturday, to make clear that they couldn’t, under any circumstances, cross the line that appeared to be getting blurry between them. She was the adult in this situation and she needed to start acting like one. But when she caught a trace of trepidation in Carol’s features, who tried to conceal it behind a playful smile, Therese blurted out an invitation that surprised both of them.

Several times during the following days, she was tempted to cancel it because she was getting physically nervous, but every time Carol shared with her a secret and excited smile that made her heart flutter, she ended up thinking that perhaps it was worth it being so reckless.

The last time they saw each other on Friday, Therese asked for Carol’s number so she could text her the details to where they will meet the following day. Once again, her first idea wasn’t the one that became a reality in the end, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense because not only Therese lived away from the city, decreasing any potential risk of being seen by someone of the university, but she was also closer to the place they were going.

Therese startled at the buzz that pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked at the intercom doorbell for a moment before raising on her feet, walking towards it. Her fingers slightly trembling as she pressed the button to open the communication. “Yeah?”

“It’s me.” There was a brief pause and the clearing of a throat. “Carol.”

Therese smiled because she didn’t need the clarification, having recognized the voice right away. “Come in.” She pressed the other button for a moment, allowing the entrance.

Therese paced from one side to another in front of the door as she waited, feeling the way her heart was beating quicker and quicker as the seconds pass. She should be doing something more productive like going for her jacket to leave right away instead of wasting her time, fidgeting with her hands with nervous anticipation. She was a ridiculous turmoil and the soft knocks on her door she was now hearing, didn’t help her case in the slightest.

Therese closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair as if she was taking the needed courage for this night.

Carol beamed a smile at her the moment she opened the door and she looked so happy that Therese had to place her hand against the wall when she felt her legs wobbling. “Hello.”

Fearing that her voice would betray her, Therese only nodded as a greeting. This time she was decided to look only at Carol’s face because she didn’t want to repeat what happened the other day when she admired like an idiot her outfit. “Come in. I just have to go for my jacket.”

Carol closed the door behind her, looking around after Therese disappeared, climbing the spiral stair that was in a corner. It was a small one-room apartment with a loft space for a bedroom, most likely able to fit inside the living room of Carol’s house but the girl was admiring the place with fascination.

She didn’t need to move to look at the kitchen, dining and living room at all once, and since there weren’t extra walls, she was able to hear Therese’s soft movements. Therese didn’t take long to come back, watching Carol’s eyes glancing up, trying to catch a glimpse of the last part she had not been able to see.

“This place is great,” Carol said once she realized of Therese’s presence, making her snort. “No, I’m serious … you can have a mansion but it won’t matter if it doesn’t feel like a home. This place it’s warm and nice. It’s … cozy.”

Therese, who was in the task of putting her jacket on, paused for a moment, turning her head in Carol’s direction, seeing and hearing her sincerity. “Thank you.” She smiled softly. “Are you ready to-?” She was cut off by the sound of knocking at her door which made her frown because she wasn’t expecting anyone else.

Carol was closer to the door and she looked at it as if it had offended her somehow. “You want me to open?” she asked with uncertainty but Therese nodded.

There was a man smiling at the other side, holding a bouquet of red roses. It was a dark-haired man, his hair was disheveled, most likely for driving with an open window, dressed elegantly without the need of a suit. In other circumstances, Carol would have admitted that he was an attractive man, but the fact that he was using his winning smile ─ that was so exaggerated that Carol thought that he should go to look for a job to be a model for posters of toothpaste ─ and he was reeking of lotion was annoying for the young woman, because she knew this kind of men, her father always introduced them to her.

He seemed confused when he saw her that his smile wavered but he quickly recovered when he looked over her shoulder, right behind her. “Terry!”

Therese stiffened when she recognized that voice. _No. Not here. Not now. Not ever._

She moved to the side because Carol’s body was preventing her from seeing, feeling a wave of dread when her eyes fell on the man. The atmosphere shifted right away to something awkward and full of tension. Carol didn’t move, frowning deeper and deeper at the intruder, her hand tightening around the doorknob. She didn’t like the way he was looking at Therese but for a moment that end when he looked back at her since she was stopping him from entering into the apartment.

The man was opening his mouth but Carol was quicker. “Who are you?” Her tone was almost threatening.

He raised his eyebrows with surprise but he couldn’t help but answer because that was what Carol’s tone demanded. “I’m Richard. Therese’s fiancé.”

Carol felt like someone poured a bucket of frozen water on her head at the same time someone else punched her right in the stomach. However, before she had any chance to react, Therese was right at her side. “Ex,” she remarked clearly because such clarification was really important. “Ex-fiancé.” She made eye contact for Carol, hoping she could see the sincerity in them. The girl relaxed but not entirely.

“Are you still going with that nonsense?” He didn’t look like a model anymore, with his features contracting with upsetness, like a kid ready to throw a tantrum.

“Non-?” Therese laughed without humor. In other circumstances, she would avoid the confrontation, especially since there was someone else present but just like the time in the classroom, she wouldn’t allow to be belittled in front of Carol. “You have some fucking nerve to talk to me like that, to even come here after what you did to me.”

“It was a mistake,” Richard said meekly.

“No, what I did was a mistake, what you did was a choice. Live with it.” She sighed deeply. “How did you even knew where I live and how were you able to enter?”

“There was someone leaving when I arrived and I took the chance.” He shrugged, making both women frown. “And your mother told me.”

“Of course she did.” Therese closed her eyes tiredly but when she opened them again, they were full of conviction. “I meant it when I told you that I didn’t want to see you ever again in my life. I don’t want to involve the police but I will do it if you ever come here or if you look for me in any way, Richard.”

“But I love you.” He moved the arm with which he was holding the bouquet towards as if that was proof enough.

Therese looked at him with pity. “No, Richard, you don’t.” He looked deflated but Carol deduced that it wasn’t because she didn’t believe him but because he wasn’t getting away with what he wanted. “Now leave, and remember what I told you ─ I won’t hesitate the next time and I don’t think that would be convenient for you.”

Richard didn’t spare them a last look but neither of the women complained about it, more than eager for his departure as soon as possible. Carol still hadn’t let the doorknob go but when she didn’t move to close the door, it was Therese who reached to do it. Unfortunately, even when it was only the two of them, the atmosphere was still tense and awkward. There was a part of Therese that wondered if she should take advantage of this to cancel the rendezvous, but the fact that the mere idea made her feel disappointed, was answer enough.

“I’m sorry about that,” Therese broke the silence with a whisper.

“It’s wasn’t your fault.” Her voice had a slight edge that made her clear her throat. Carol sighed, finally moving away from the door but she felt uncertain about how to proceed now. “So, uhm, are we still going?”

“If you want,” she answered quickly but she wrinkled her nose because it didn’t sound like the right answer. “I mean, I would like to go and I would like you to come with me if you still want.”

“Yeah, sure.” Carol shrugged as if it wasn’t a big deal. She was torn between what just happened and Therese’s words.

They left Therese’s and the complex apartment walking next to each other but in complete silence. Carol hated it because it wasn’t common between them but she knew that if she opened her mouth, she was going to start asking questions that weren’t any of her business. They might have been starting to share personal things from time to time but nothing this personal. Holding back a deep sigh, Carol pointed where she parked for Therese’s benefit but the woman, instead of walking in that direction, stopped, confusing her companion and Carol couldn’t blame her if she had suddenly changed her mind.

“I was thinking that perhaps we could go walking, it’s not that far.” Therese smiled a little at Carol’s surprise. When the young woman nodded, it was Therese’s turn to lift her arm to point in what direction they should go.

It was a cool night but the blowing wind was atrocious whenever there was an airstream or perhaps it was the simple fact that they still haven’t found their way into their comfy bubble. Therese was expecting Carol to start asking questions because that’s how things worked between them ─ she was always the one dwelling in their conversations, saying something about herself just to be able to ask Therese something related to the subject. At that moment, however, Therese realized how unfair it was because she was just as curious as Carol but she never gave the first step in her attempts to hold back her interest for the young woman. Perhaps it was time to change that, to show that Carol wasn’t the only one who wanted to be like an open book for the other woman.

“You can ask, Carol.” Therese shrank when another airstream hit, not stopping from walking and pointing to the left before they reach the corner.

Carol turned her head in her direction, dumbfounded. “I’m not- I don’t-” but she cut herself off when Therese raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Fine,” she accepted begrudgingly because there was no point in denying she wanted to know. “So … an ex-fiancé.”

“I think ‘the biggest mistake of my life’ is a little bit long for introductions,” Therese mumbled with displeasure.

That was all Carol needed to feel any remaining tension drifting away from her body. She had been thinking that Therese still carried a torch for the man, after all, he should have been important if they have reached the point of engagement but after hearing those words, she felt like everything was okay in the world. “Oh?”

“I don’t even know where I should start.” Therese sighed. “We met after college. I got a job offer for a play where he was one of the actors.” _Of course he was_ , Carol thought. “From the very beginning he made clear that he was interested in me but I couldn’t care less, I was focused on my job.” She snorted derisively. “I only agreed to date him so he left me alone. I know, doesn’t quite make sense,” she added when she looked at Carol’s disbelieving expression. “But he was always showing up in places I was even when it didn’t make sense for him to be there.”

“Don’t you think that was some sort of … sign?” She furrowed her eyebrows because Richard had managed to find out Therese’s apartment. Though it hadn’t been on his own since he had help, she couldn’t help but worry.

Therese smiled gently. “I know what you’re thinking but he’s not like that. He’s not a stalker, he just doesn’t know how to deal when things don’t go the way he wants.”

That wasn’t precisely reassuring for Carol but she let it go. She supposed that as long as nothing happened, there was no point in dwelling if Therese was certain. “All right. Then what?”

“I got used to him to the point that I accepted his marriage proposal. Which was the beginning of all my problems.” She sighed deeply. “He had this idea that he was going to be a famous actor and that he couldn’t let his woman work.” Therese made such disgusted face that Carol couldn’t help but chuckle. “I- I really can’t explain it beyond that he took me in one of the worst moments of my stupidity because I agreed.” She lowered her head in shame. “I agreed to quit a job I loved in a studio that was going to give me so many opportunities for a man that I didn’t even love.”

It was clear that Therese was expecting Carol to feel disappointed of her somehow but she felt nothing but empathy towards her. Perhaps she hadn’t been in love so Carol could joke about that fact but she wasn’t going to allow Therese to think that her opinion of her had changed. “Well, don’t be so hard on yourself, we all have low moments that embarrass us.” Carol loved to hear Therese’s chuckling but this time even more because she gave her a thankful smile afterwards. There was a small pause as she enjoyed that brief moment before she kept talking. “This doesn’t define who you are.”

Gulping at the tender sincerity in Carol’s voice, Therese took a moment. “Anyway, after that I grow resentful with him but I never said a word, I just started to put a distance between us. I didn’t have a job, I didn’t have my own place because I lived with him but somehow I managed to never be there. Whenever we saw each other, he complained about it but I never played along, staying silent.” There was a moment when only their steps can be heard among the background noise of the suburbs. “I don’t know why I waited so long to finish it when it was what I wanted but the truth is that I wasn’t painfully aware of that until he cheated on me.”

“No!” Carol stopped in shock and Therese did the same, surprised at the reaction. “Are you serious?! He was _that_ stupid?”

Therese chuckled at how offended Carol seemed to be, feeling a warm sensation roaming her body. “Yes.”

“Oh my god. I can’t believe it.” She lowered her head a bit, taking her hand to her forehead to rub it.

“He even blamed me for it.” Therese shrugged.

“What?!” Carol snapped her head up to look at her before turning around but without moving, contemplating the path they had traveled. “Perhaps it’s not too late to find him and give him a piece of my mind,” she muttered, mostly to herself but Therese listened to her.

After hearing her mother endlessly talking about why she should give Richard a second chance, more interested in her daughter getting married than in her happiness, it was completely endearing for Therese to have someone on her side. She reached a hand to brush it against Carol’s arm to call her attention, letting it fall when she was looked back at her. “That’s lovely, but not necessary.” Carol narrowed her eyes. “Come on, are we going to let him ruin our night?”

Carol’s stance softened. “No, of course not.” They finally resumed their steps. “It’s just that, how could he do that to you? You are astonishing in every possible way,” she said in a whisper as if it was something didn’t want to admit it.

Therese sucked a breath of air so harshly that she coughed. Suddenly she wasn’t feeling chilly anymore, she even thought that wearing a jacket was too much at the moment. “T-thank you.” She cleared her throat. “But I see the bright side ─ it wasn’t in the way it should have been but at least it’s over, which it’s what I wanted.” They exchanged a smile.

Five minutes later they were standing in front of a warehouse’s door. Therese smiled shyly at Carol before knocking at the door in a peculiar pattern. Not long later, the door was sliding to the side, revealing a woman about Therese’s age, with glasses and curly black hair that shrieked when she saw Carol’s companion, pulling her immediately into a hug. “Terry! Long time no see!”

“Hey, Eileen. You know how life is.” She chuckled awkwardly after she was released. “I brought someone who is interested in this world.” When she looked at Carol, all her uncomfortableness disappeared. “This is Carol.”

“Oh honey, you must be special for Terry because she has never brought someone here.” She smiled at Carol before hugging her too, puzzling the girl with the action but she was in the ninth cloud with the words that she couldn’t complain about it. Therese was looking at the floor when Carol was able to look at her but she was willing to bet that she was blushing, making her feel giddy. “Come inside then. Welcome to the Alternate Universes.”

It made sense right away why it had that name. It was like an exposition ─ there were different rows of working stands but each one was different. After Carol paid attention to one, she realized that each space was decorated in a very distinctive way: she was able to see one that at first made her think in an untidy bedroom but she then realized it was meant to be a room set in an apocalyptic world because there was a mannequin laying on the floor, characterized as a person who had been attacked. Another was just the frontage of a victorian house but it was so well done that Carol felt eager to see the inside even when she knew it didn’t exist. Some stations were empty but in others, there were people and Carol could see them fixing some kind of clothes or changing something about the set design, others putting makeup in a body part of a person who was mumbling their advice.

“How-?” She couldn’t close her mouth, starting to walk to see more.

“My college mates and I wanted to have a place to keep getting better. It took us a while to collect the money but when we did it …” she made a gesture with her hands, signaling in front of her. “... this happened. It’s like our workshop to practice or when we get big jobs and we need help.”

“It’s so fucking amazing,” she said with fascination.

Therese followed Carol, staying a little behind when she needed to say hello to her fellows. They all looked sincerely happy to see her that she felt guilty for not coming for a long time. When she found Carol again, she was standing in front of a station that was a dark room illuminated by the light of the moon. The ‘moonlight’ coming from the window lighted up only half of the bed where it laid a white cat, right over the pillow and the nightstand next to it but even when you couldn’t see it, there was a distinctive sensation that there was more.

“You made this,” Carol whispered when she felt Therese coming closer.

“I- how did you know?” Carol shrugged because she couldn’t explain it, she just _felt_ it. “It was the first individual set I created. Very simple really. I’m the only one who didn’t change it. We started with our first work but the guys changed theirs when they start to make better things.” She wrinkled her nose. “Perhaps I should start thinking about doing the same.”

“It’s perfect,” she husked.

Therese looked at the floor, smiling. Carol might be a little bit biased but it still made her heart skip a beat because this was one of her favorites designs she had ever done. Most of the people described it as lonely and sad but for her, it was a happy and relaxing place.

Therese turned her head when something brushed her hand, holding her breath for a moment when she saw it was Carol’s fingers before she raised her head. Carol felt queasy when her eyes locked with Therese’s, knowing very well that what she was doing was more than brazen and the reaction to it was most likely to be a negative one, but she had been feeling so close to Therese that she couldn’t help herself to want to feel even more.

Still, when there was no reaction whatsoever, good or bad, Carol started to withdraw her hand, not wanting to jump over the edge. However, she was pleasantly surprised, and it was her turn to stop breathing when Therese’s index finger hook around hers, a slow smile curving her lips until her dimples were in display.

For the rest of the night, Carol marveled at the fact that she managed to be functional enough to walk and exchange some words with the people Therese introduced her when she didn’t release her in any moment, pulling at her arm to coax her to keep wandering around the place, even if it wasn’t necessary because Carol was more than willing to follow her everywhere.


	6. Chapter 6

“So, what did you do during the weekend without your amazing gals?” Abby got closer to Carol so she could hear her whispering once the teacher started his class. “You got bored without us?”

Carol smirked with her gaze on her notebook where she was writing some letters that together, didn’t make any sense, at least for anyone else who saw them because for her it did since it was Therese’s name jumbled.

It was only the two of them since Genevieve got sick on Friday. Carol wouldn’t say that she was happy that her friend had fallen ill but she couldn’t deny that it had happened in the perfect moment because in that way she didn’t have to come up with an excuse to not see them since Abby decided to spend the weekend taking care of her girlfriend, apologizing over and over with Carol, no matter how much she told her it was okay.

“Somehow I managed to survive without you two.” She pouted dramatically. “It was hard, but I managed.”

Abby chuckled, softly elbowing Carol’s arm. “What did you do?”

Carol’s hand froze for a moment before she kept scribbling.

She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that night. Even with the unexpected presence of an unwanted person at first, it had been perfect. It didn’t matter that Therese had let her hand go once they were leaving the warehouse because during their way back to her apartment, they had walked so close to each other that their arms brush all the time, sometimes they even bumped against the other, making each other chuckle before they contemplated one another with a soft smile before keep walking.

After Therese shared her past, it felt like they had gotten closer. Carol no longer felt that there were subjects she couldn’t touch because they were too personal and Therese didn’t need to wait for Carol to start talking whenever there was something she wanted to know. They talked about meaningless things that still felt important because it was helping them to get to know the other more.

As they stood in Therese’s apartment door, neither knew which was the appropriate way to say goodbye. Carol was more than tempted to lean down and brush her lips against Therese’s (her gaze actually fell to them as the woman talked for a few seconds) but aware of the delicacy of their situation, she reached for Therese’s hand to squeeze it wholeheartedly as she thanked her for the lovely evening.

It was not the time to cross a line though Carol hesitated when Therese squeezed back with a gorgeous smile on her face.

When Carol got back home, she had sat on her bed for a few minutes, contemplating her hand, still able to feel the tingling sensation that Therese’s touch caused in her. She had fallen asleep until dawn, without even changing clothes and _the_ hand laying over her chest at the heart height, because in her opinion, her time was better spent in reliving every moment next to Therese. However, she wasn’t ready to share all this just yet, even if she had to lie to her best friend ─ otherwise, Abby knowing would mean getting questioned all the damn time and Carol only wanted to enjoy and daydream about this a little longer

“I just went out. No specific place, just one of those relaxing walks.” She gave a glance at her friend, smiling.

* * *

Therese remained seated as the students left the classroom once the bell rang.

She closed her eyes, moving her head in circles to relieve the tenseness of her neck and shoulders. When it wasn’t enough, she took her hand to the back of her neck to rub it. Between her classes (she was surprised by how much she was enjoying teaching) and having to help with the preparations for Halloween during her free time and after classes, she was glad the week was over.

She hadn’t seen much of Carol because of it beyond glimpses on the halls like in the beginning and even when she wouldn’t admit it out loud, she missed their time together.

Sighing deeply, she stood up, envisioning a hot bath to relax her muscles as she lazily began to put away her things when she felt a presence behind her. She was already so attuned to her, that she didn’t need to look to know who it was, but she did it nevertheless, wanting to see her.

Carol was at the door, smiling at her but what made Therese weak at the knees was her outfit: a loose black skirt above the knee-height with a white turtleneck white shirt. She had seen the changes in Carol’s wardrobe all week ─ it was hard to ignore it when the change from jeans to skirts was pretty clear, especially when Therese suspect it was in an attempt to draw her attention.

Knowing she was blushing, Therese averted her gaze away from the newcomer, licking her lips when she heard the steps moving towards her.

“I know you are leaving.” The woman closed her eyes, freezing because Carol’s had lowered her voice into a whisper but it was still loud enough to make her feel that she had talked right against her ear. “But I wanted to say hello, it has been a while since we properly saw each other.” Carol leaned against the desk, sliding the slightest to sit but without separating her feet from the ground.

Therese took a deep breath, trying not to make the gesture too obvious before turning her face at Carol’s direction, smiling gently. “Hi, Carol.” Whenever her eyes captured her, she thought it was unfair that someone that magnificent and unattainable was part of her life.

“Hey.” She prompted her arms behind her as support. “Are you okay?” It was such a simple and common question but the interest behind it was overwhelming.

“Sure, just extremely tired, it has been a long week.” Carol hummed in understanding. “And you?”

“Fine.” There was a brief pause where only the movements of Therese putting her things away were heard. “I’ve missed our time together though.”

Therese glanced in her direction. “So do I.” She wanted to believe there was nothing risky in admitting that.

“Will you come tomorrow for the match?” She moved to fully sit on the desk, crossing her legs. Therese cursed herself when she couldn’t stop herself from following the gesture, not missing the way the skirt lifted a bit.

Clearing her throat, she swept the desk with her eyes as if she was verifying she wasn’t forgetting anything. “I’m going to be at the university but I’m not sure if I can find the time.”

“Come on, please?” Carol pouted adorably. “It’s not like you have to give classes.” Therese didn’t reply, trying not to smile. “Besides, you kinda have to go because I have all the intention to win for you.”

Therese choked in her breath, making her cough. It didn’t help that when she looked at Carol, she winked as she smiled. “Carol …” She wanted to sound warningly but she was convinced that her tone was almost beggingly.

“I mean, I wouldn’t do anything obvious but you and I will know.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear coyly.

“I’ll see what I can do.” She didn’t even try to come up with an excuse or even think about a rejection, already knowing that her mouth would say the opposite that was in her brain.

“I suppose that’s better than a ‘no’.” She looked a little bit disappointed as she got down from the desk when Therese took her briefcase and Therese knew she would end up going but she wasn’t going to say it.

She desperately needed to conceal the effect the girl had on her.

* * *

Therese tried to appear relaxed when she sat next to Dannie on the bleachers of the college’s Multipurpose Arena. Due to the weather, the teams were going to play here instead of on the tennis court.

It was relaxing to know that she wasn’t the only teacher present, but part of her still felt that it was a mistake to come the moment she saw Carol in her tennis outfit (it was different from the one she had seen from her training though the colors were the same ─ she was wearing a sleeveless tennis dress, which skirt reached the middle of her tight), talking with who Therese supposed was her partner because there was a certain camaraderie as they exchanged words and a few laughs. Her back was towards Therese but that didn’t stop her from ogling those long legs, wondering how it would feel to have them wrapped around her waist before her gaze fixed in Carol’s ass.

Therese closed her eyes, taking a deep breath ─ Carol’s brazenness was ruining her life.

“I didn’t know you like tennis,” Dannie pulled her out of her reverie, greeting her with a soft pat on her knee.

“It was this or going home to do nothing.” She shrugged with one shoulder. “Everyone is here, I couldn’t be the only one missing it, right?” Perhaps that was the reason why she was feeling more restless than usual. She was sure that anybody who caught her looking at Carol would discover everything because she might not be able to look at her face whenever she looked at the girl but she could feel her features melting in adoration.

Therese held her breath when Carol turned around, discreetly sweeping the stands with her eyes, not taking long to find who she was looking for. The moment didn’t last long, deep down, Therese was aware of it but she got the paranoid idea that she wasn’t the only one able to see the way Carol imperceptible smiled, a slightly smug but undeniable happy smile.

The teacher was only capable of breathing again when the referee finally blew the whistle, announcing the beginning of the match. It was captivating the way Carol transformed from carefree to someone with only one goal in mind ─ her features shifting in concentration as she took her position to serve.

As minutes went by, Therese started to relax in her place, losing herself in watching the match although her attention was only focused on one thing. Carol was ruthless but without being unsporting. It was clear that it wasn’t only something she did to win, she sincerely enjoyed the game, like her joyful smile proved when she did a return, knowing that her hit was flawless or whenever they scored and she did a fist pump every single time that made Therese chuckle at the childlike excitement of the gesture, so contagious that Therese soon joined to the audience when it came to cheering, this time not caring at all whenever Carol made brief eye contact with her, making her feel giddy at the secret between them.

However, during the break time after the first set, reality returned for Therese while she watched Carol interacting with her partner. It was clear the other girl was attracted to Carol, taking every opportunity to touch her, pretending she was only helping her teammate to dry her sweaty face and neck since Carol was drinking water and had left the towel hanging around it. She also laughed in that annoying and exaggerated way people usually do when they were trying to catch someone’s attention.

What bothered Therese wasn’t that someone was flirting with Carol, but the realization that there was no way they could ever be like that. Even if she admitted something to Carol out loud, they couldn’t yield into their attraction, they couldn’t pursue each other to develop a relationship. Not even some innocent flirting could happen without consequences. She had been naive when she thought that a friendship with Carol would be okay, that it would be enough for her, not taking in consideration the possibility that the girl would be charming enough to crawl under her skin until it was too late to notice the deep impact she could have on her.

Therese stood up sharply, as if someone had set the seat on fire, drawing Dannie’s attention. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” She didn’t make eye contact, knowing the lie would be clear if she did. “I just remembered I do have something to do so, I have to leave.”

Dannie didn’t answer immediately and Therese could feel his eyes on her, undoubtedly trying to read her. “All right,” he finally said, after a soft sigh. “I hope everything’s okay.”

Therese managed to smile a little but still not daring to make eye contact, finding the floor more secure at the moment. Because of that, she didn’t notice that another person was watching her leave.

* * *

Therese was practically trotting to her car and not because it was raining but because for her, it felt like a safe place, having the idiotic delusion that the moment she was inside, any conundrum caused by her reaction to Carol would vanish entirely.

She was already envisioning herself in the privacy of her apartment, allowing herself to grieve for this hopeless situation for the weekend while she gathered the strength to maintain a wall between her and Carol, or at least polish her ability to keep her mask of indifference whenever she was in the young woman’s presence.

Sighing tiredly at such prospect, knowing that it would be hard to achieve though it had to be done, Therese ran a hand through her wet hair while the other dipped into her jeans pocket to take her car keys out.

The sound of the rain and the jingling of the keys hid the approaching footsteps, startling the woman when a voice (that caused her to shiver) broke the silence. “Why are you leaving?”

Therese licked her lips nervously, not turning around to face Carol, pressing the button to unlock the doors. “I shouldn’t have come in the first place.”

Carol frowned, still walking to disappear the distance between them. “What? Why?”

Therese’s shoulders sagged, painfully aware that she should take advantage of this moment, dealing with it as if she was ripping off a band-aid. “Because I shouldn’t have condoned whatever this thing is between us.”

“A friendship?” Carol chuckled though her heartbeat was racing. “Come on, Therese, there’s nothing-” she cut herself off when the woman turned around sharply.

Therese hesitated for a second, finding Carol so close and completely soaked in that delightful outfit. “Don’t play coy with me, Carol,” she frowned momentarily. “I’m not an idiot to not notice your attraction and you are not an idiot to not notice mine.”

Carol held her breath, turning her head to the side as she tried to think rationally about this. In other circumstances, she would be thrilled to hear the confirmation to her suspicions but Therese’s apparent regret about their friendship had tainted any excitement. “So you are accepting you are attracted to me but that you don’t want me?”

“Of course I want you, you infuriating girl!” Therese didn’t look shocked at her outburst like Carol did. “But I can’t have you!” That was what made her look resigned and sad, as if something had taken all her energy away.

Carol’s lips were slightly open in surprise, no longer aware of the uncomfortableness of her dress sticking to her skin or the coldness because of it, all her stance frozen in place, which Therese took advantage to get inside her car, after eyeing her one last time, thankful for the rain that helped to hid the few tears that she couldn't avoid shedding, quickly turning her car on to take off, not wanting to give Carol the possibility to react and stop her.


	7. Chapter 7

When once college used to be one of their favorites places to be, after what transpired that weekend, it became hellish for Carol and Therese.

Carol was torn between the longing and the frustration because she knew that she couldn’t approach Therese. The opinion she had about them held Carol back and also, the woman had her walls fully raised which wouldn’t lead to something good ─ during her classes, she mostly addressed Abby or Genevieve to give them advice and when Carol purposefully screwed something up, she didn’t make eye contact with her at all, her tone polite but distant.

Therese was treating her like a teacher should treat their students and Carol loathed it.

Therese instead was only stuck with the longing, the one that made her heart clenching with yearning whenever she looked briefly at the young woman when she was certain that Carol wouldn’t notice. Fortunately, she wasn’t having much free time to pathetically dwell in such fact because Halloween was just around the corner and they had to finish decorating. Dannie was aware that something was going on with her but he never asked, for which Therese was grateful because even if she did consider him a friend, she simply couldn’t talk about this, the best course of action was pretending it never happened, even when her misery proved otherwise.

Days were tedious for both of them, not even able to get some sort of comfort from the things they liked ─ Therese had found out that after their face-off, when Carol returned to the match, she had torn her racket apart at the intensity she smacked against the floor once they won the game, but according to Dannie, after the first break, she seemed somewhat angry if the way she was hitting the ball was a clue. _At least she has something to unburden herself_ , Therese thought, feeling concerned and guilty but not enough to change her mind about the decision she had taken.

On Friday, the day of the Halloween party, Carol sighed tiredly after her last class, which happened to be Therese’s, as she helped to gather their things to put them in their place. She no longer dawdled trying to get the teacher’s attention after so many failed attempts; in fact, the moment the bell rang, she was one of the first to leave the theater, sometimes not even waiting for her friends, who believed the silly excuses she used to explain why she did it.

Carol was sure that being in love was the cause of their distraction because, in other circumstances, they surely would have interrogated her until she told them everything, so she was grateful, more than ever for the fact that they have gotten together because the last thing she wanted to explain was that the crush she had for her teacher was making her all mopey.

But as she took a glance in Therese’s direction, who was currently chuckling at something one of the members of the team that had approached her said, Carol couldn’t deny that it still hurt, especially because she was certain that they were so good together.

“Hey,” Genevieve reached to hold Carol’s arm, drawing her attention. “Are you still going to Abby’s house so we get ready together for the party?”

“Yes.” She lowered her gaze to her satchel, closing it. “If the plans haven’t changed, then yes. I will see you guys there.” She forced herself to smile when she looked at the other woman. It was only the two of them since Abby went to put away some things.

Genevieve looked at her, tilting her head in contemplation, finally deciding to speak her mind. “I know you think we haven’t noticed but you are wrong. We have been friends for so long, Carol … most importantly we care about you and we know something’s going on with you.” She saw her friend sighing resignedly. “But we won’t force you to talk, just don’t forget we are here, okay? Whenever you want to talk.”

“I know, Gen, thank you. But it’s not important so it’s not even worth mention it.” The young woman raised an eyebrow, incredulous, making Carol chuckle listlessly. “Right. I forgot with whom I’m talking to.”

She smiled for a second. “Abby is convinced it has to do with …” Without turning her head, she darted her eyes at Therese’s direction. “I actually agree with her but she’s taking a more fierce stance without even knowing.” She rolled her eyes. “You know how protective she is with the people she loves.”

Carol smiled fondly but it vanished soon. “I will tell you at Abby’s house, okay?”

“What are you going to tell us in my house?” She draped one arm on her girlfriend’s shoulders and the other on her friend’s.

Carol rolled her eyes but she laughed, feeling like she hadn’t done it in months. “About what you two are so curious about.”

Abby’s eyes widened comically. “Oh, that’s good.” She moved to kiss Carol’s cheek and then turn her head to the other side to do the same with Genevieve’s. “You want to come with us? We can order a pizza and watch a movie until the time it’s time to get ready for the party?”

Carol knew what they were doing and she felt a warm sensation in her chest – they knew she needed them. And even when she didn’t want to burden them with this situation, she knew she needed to vent beyond hitting the balls as if they were her feelings, trying to destroy them.

She nodded, for once, leaving without the need to turn around to watch Therese, this time missing the green eyes looking at the friends’ direction as they climb the stairs, a melancholic smile appearing in the teacher’s lips, her heartache subsiding for that moment. Though she knew her mind wouldn’t take long to remind her about it, exceeding the reassurance her heart was currently feeling.

* * *

Therese wondered if she was masochist because there was no other way to explain why she decided to go to the university when her presence wasn’t an obligation. Of course other teachers would be there but since she had been pretty involved with the decoration, she had been released of the responsibility to keep an eye to the students.

However, Dannie was one of the ones who had to go and he begged Therese to join him – _Terry, please, you have to come and keep me company. If I interact with them, I’m going to end up drinking the alcohol we supposedly don’t know they bring with them and probably be the one to blame for whatever chaos happens_.

In reality, it wasn't hard for him to make her agree though as she parked her car into her reserved spot on the parking lot, she was trying to deceive herself that she was doing this for his friend and no one else.

She arrived fifteen minutes before the party started, finding some of the teachers outside the Multipurpose Arena, where she had spent most of the afternoon putting everything in place and finish the last details with the rest of her colleagues she had worked with for this ─ feeling grateful that they weren’t using any kind of costume because it hadn’t crossed her mind the idea and she would have felt awkward otherwise.

But when she got inside and found Dannie, she rolled her eyes, snorting a laugh at the fluffy cat ears he was wearing. “I know, you don’t have to tell me, I look adorable.” He kissed both of her cheeks. “I also knew that you were going to be like the rest of our lame coworkers and don’t wear anything so, I brought you this.” He reached behind him, pulling other ears, though these were a white color, out of his jeans pocket, quickly moving to put them in place.

Therese cross-eyed when Dannie got closer, trying to follow his hands. “You are ridiculous.” But she didn’t attempt to remove the item from her head.

“Wait, wait, that’s not even the best part.” Lifting a hand towards the ears, Dannie pressed a button, making the ears move. Therese’s laugh echoed through the place. “But enough of my pretty awesome thing.” He turned for a moment before looking back at her. “What you guys did with the place it’s terrific,” he winked at her. “Pun intended.”

“Yes, well …” she shrugged modestly.

The place was decorated like a cemetery with graves and two mausoleums, one that worked as the place where the food and drinks could be found and other for the DJ. They had even managed to add lighting as if there was a red full moon, clouds covering under it for a more tetric appearance. Even the stands were decorated with artificial grass and after minutes sitting in a seat, you would get a surely nasty surprise that would leave you shuddering for a while.

“Come on, it’s a fabulous work … while I was walking there,” he pointed to the main area that for today would work as the dance floor with a finger. “I got the realization of the amazing work you did.” Therese laughed again. “Good thing I was alone because I shrieked like a child.”

“So you dealt with everything without problem?” She headed to the main area, wanting to see inside the mausoleums. Dannie quickly walked to her side.

“Yes, once I found the control to deactivate it so the catering could bring everything.” He sighed. “I should have accepted to help you with the decoration, it’s more stressful dealing with the rest.”

Therese patted his forearm. “But you are done now.” She looked down before moving through the cemetery, stepping in specific spots.

Dannie watched her go until she stopped in the first mausoleum. “Are you seriously telling me you know which places not to step onto to not activate it?”

Therese shrugged. “I helped to make it, Dannie, of course I know.” She laughed when she looked at his dumbfounded expression before moving to the other mausoleum.

When the students started to arrive, the friends were sitting at the top of the stands in a fit of laughter … at least Therese was. She had just witnessed Dannie’s childlike scream after been seated for a few minutes. Not even the woman’s reminder before sitting down had helped him to control his reaction when he felt an almost imperceptible movement, his eyes finding animatronic maggots surfacing from the grass. He immediately bolted up from the chair, shaking his pants as if actually something had climbed on them. Once he calmed down, he narrowed his eyes at Therese, who was still laughing.

“I’m sorry but that was hilarious,” she finally managed to say. “Not even five minutes ago I warned you about it!”

Dannie sat back, pretending to be offended but he smiled. “Whatever.” He looked at the entrance, watching the students marveling at the way the place looked.

Therese followed his gaze, smiling softly when she observed the first group reaching to touch when they were close enough to do it, chuckling softly when one stepped into one of the few switches that activate a small floor trap door that once opened, propelled a hand out of a grave, causing them to jump and scream.

But her laugh suddenly came to a halt when her eyes moved to the rest of the people come in.

She knew for sure that Carol was going to be there but never imagined she was going to face what she did. The group of friends was dressed like the iconic trio of popular female villains from Batman – Carol as Catwoman, Abby as Harley Quinn and Genevieve as Poison Ivy. The woman tilted her head, unable to stop the thought that it would have made more sense for Carol to be Harley based in the hair color but when the young woman came into the light, it was impossible for Therese to think anymore once she had a clearer view of the bodysuit.

The hexagon grey fabric with black rubber coated spandex that was added to highlight certain parts and for other parts of the costume like the gloves and hood was proving to be very distracting, especially the zipper that stopped at the middle of Carol’s breasts, creating the most enticing cleavage Therese had ever seen. Gulping, Therese averted her gaze, but only for a beat, not having the willpower to keep her eyes away for too long, like a person on a diet who was suddenly facing the most delicious desserts.

If Therese was able to come to her senses a bit, it was because people started to approached the three young women, pointing and speaking (not that she could hear but she could see the lips moving) while Carol waved almost like she wanted to minimize whatever it was said.

It clicked then to Therese, having the previous knowledge that Carol’s favorite subject was the custom design, that she had done her costume, and probably her friends’ too. _Attractive, smart, funny, talented … breathtaking_ ─ those were a few adjectives that crossed Therese’s mind, not for the first time, but given their current situation, it felt like a low blow.

Carol was laughing when she turned her head in the teachers’ direction, more in a natural gesture than because she felt Therese’s eyes on her. Her laugh died immediately, just like Therese’s did, followed by looking away from them as she frowned, something that wasn’t missed by Dannie. “That was weird.” He glanced at her friend, who seemed like a kicked puppy. “I thought you two had a good relationship.”

Therese took a deep breath, clearing her throat first before licking her lips nervously. “Like any teacher-student relationship I suppose.” She shrugged, trying to convey it wasn’t a big deal. Taking a glance at Dannie, it was clear that he didn’t look convinced by her words but since explaining the truth wasn’t even an option, Therese decided to pull his attention to another subject. Luckily for her, Dannie was easy to distract and soon enough she was breathing relieved for avoiding the bullet for the time being.

* * *

Carol was trying to have fun with all her might, wanting to ignore Therese’s presence entirely but it was a hard thing to achieve when she could feel the woman’s eyes on her, not all the time but enough to fill her with frustration.

How could Therese say what she said and then act like this? As if she had some sort of right to take Carol out of balance after regretting what transpired between them. Besides, she was finally accepting the idea that Therese was going to act like she didn’t exist and now this happened.

She had come clean with her friends, telling them how close they had become and everything she had been hiding. As expected, Abby was the one slightly hurt due to secrecy because they had been friends since high school and they shared even the little things which why, in her opinion, it was offensive that Carol hadn’t share anything with them, especially when it was something important since it was affecting her. Genevieve always worked like the referee between them ─ with their spicy temperament it was easy Carol and Abby got into intense discussions, and that time wasn’t the exception.

After that brief moment of conflict between the friends, Abby then got offended on Carol’s behalf which the young woman found endearing and slightly amusing. Genevieve instead took a more neutral position, understanding both parts involved. Carol jumped from side to side depending the moment ─ when she didn’t see Therese, it was easy to take the woman’s place but whenever she caught a look of her, all her feelings overcome her reasoning, finding unfair that Therese accepted her attraction towards her only to crash any possibility in the next second.

It made her feel like she couldn’t care less about what it could do to Carol to have such information.

Carol sighed tiredly, quickly forcing a convincing smile when Abby turned her head in her direction.

Once her friends realized Therese’s presence, they have seemed to reach a conjoined decision of distracting Carol from her. Wherever they went, they took Carol with them ─ to get a drink or food, to the dance floor, where she might have kicked one hand after it made her jump, to chat with other people.

Carol struggled between appreciation and annoyance because she wasn’t a child people needed to take care of.

The moment she got the chance (god bless the couple’s need to make out), Carol left her friends behind, needing a more than deserved break, walking out the Arena as quickly as she could but careful to not draw attention to her, using people as her covering.

She lightened up a cigarette the moment she was outside, having walking towards the closest greened area, resting against a tree, sighing the moment her head made contact with the trunk, her eyes fixed on the starry night.

She wasn’t aware how much time she spend in such position, staring without really admiring until it was time to walk towards an ash trash receptacle to put off the cigarette.

Carol was heading back to the Arena, wanting to believe that her absence wasn’t yet noticed when she observed Therese coming out of the door, apparently in a hurry. However, she didn’t head to the parking area, stirring Carol’s curiosity.

Promising to herself that this would be the last time she pursued Therese, the young woman followed her, keeping very safe distance so her steps wouldn’t betrayed her. If she received another attempt to pull her away, even with the woman’s revelation that she was attracted to her, then this would be it and she will move on from this situation, no matter how hard it could be since Therese had started to sneak into her heart.


	8. Chapter 8

When Therese stepped outside the Arena, she took a deep breath, almost as if she had been asphyxiating inside. Not missing a beat, she started to walk, without any direction in mind, she just needed to get away from this place as soon as possible.

Part of her felt it was unfair to feel so affected by the hurt and offended looks she received from Carol and her friends respectively, which why, like a masochist, she remained in her seat to deal with it, believing it was a punishment she deserved. But more than ever, it was so hard to keep her eyes away from Carol ─ watching her interact outside classes have always had some sort of special delight for her.

Though for her it was obvious the stiffness in whatever the young woman did, giving Therese the impression that Carol was aware of the fact she was looking at her.

After a couple of hours, she couldn’t take it anymore, giving Dannie the excuse that she would go out to smoke. She also believed that Carol deserved to have a good time without her tainting it, not realizing the young woman had done the same just a few minutes ago.

Brushing her hair, Therese slowed down when she reached the Tennis Court, not wanting to think if it had been an unconscious decision or just coincidence, sitting down on the lowest tier of the grandstand, quickly leaning down to place her elbows on her knees to hide her face in her hands.

That’s how Carol found her, making her hesitate about how to proceed at the vulnerability she sensed.

The lights were off since nobody was using the court but it was slightly illuminated by the lamp posts that were along the walking paths surrounding it, enough to have a clear image of the woman.

Carol, who had removed the hood at some point during her chasing, tucking it inside one boot, ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to tame it, nibbling at her lower lip in consideration. Before she could do anything though, Therese straightened up, turning her head enough to look over her shoulder but since there wasn’t any kind of sign that indicated she was aware of Carol’s presence, the young woman took a step forward, only to be quickly stopped in surprise.

“I left the Arena so you could have a good time.” The whispering was only loud enough so it could be listened to by the other person.

Carol licked her lips before answering. “Does that mean I should go?”

Therese shrugged, moving her head to look forward. “I just supposed it would be easier for you if I wasn’t there.”

“It would have been if I hadn’t seen you at all tonight.” She wouldn’t be able to know about the way Therese’s stomach fluttered with her words but she did notice the way her shoulders dropped.

“I knew it was a bad idea but …” She shook her head.

“But what, Therese?” She finally continued walking towards the woman.

“I can’t help myself.” She chuckled humorlessly, lowering her head, shaking it once more. “Apparently, I’m very good at that.”

Carol frowned. “You can’t keep doing that to me, it’s not fair.” She stood in front of Therese. “Telling me that you are attracted to me and that you want me to then crush every hope I could have possibly get with such revelation.”

“Don’t you get it, Carol? I _had_ to do that, because-” she cut herself off once she raised her head to make eye contact. Without the hood, allowing her hair to run freely, Carol looked even more stunning if it was possible. “God, you are magnificent.”

Carol softened, smiling a bit at the sheer sincerity the woman was emanating even if Therese looked in pain at saying those words. “Why you _had_ to?”

That sobered the other woman up, blinking repeatedly. “Because it doesn’t matter what we feel, nothing can ever happen between us.”

“Therese, I never got closer to you with that intention, I only wanted us to be friends.”

“I know, Carol, I know.” She sighed, lowering her head again. “But neither of us counted with the fact that at one point it wouldn’t be enough for me.”

A soft gasp escaped from Carol’s slightly parted lips. “You-” she cleared her throat. “You wanted something more?”

But Therese shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters!” It was everything that mattered. “I don’t care about anything else but you. Us.”

Therese shivered, which could be blamed to the cold weather and the fact she wasn’t wearing a jacket but Carol’s words were the only responsible for such reaction. “Carol …” her voice was fading, like she was losing her strength.

She squatted, hoping to catch the woman’s eyes with hers, resting her hands next to Therese’s legs to keep her balance. “We can make it work if what we want it’s to be together,” she said softly, treating carefully. “The last thing I want it’s to cause you some sort of trouble if you decide to be with me and make you lose your job.”

Therese snorted. “I couldn’t care less about my job.” Slowly, she began to raise her head. “I mean, I do, but just because it’s a big part of the way I can see you.” She smiled tenderly when she made eye contact, reaching to brush a strand of blonde hair behind the young woman’s ear. “But I can’t risk your career for this.”

“I understand but you can’t decide for me, Therese.” She moved her hands, placing them on the woman’s knees. “No matter what you do or say, it won’t change the fact that I want to be with you.” She leaned forward. “Besides, we have been miserable with your choice, it’s only fair we try mine now.” She smirked when Therese’s eyes widened before chuckling.

Barely a few moments ago they were still living a torment and now it was as if nothing bad had ever happened between them. “Is that so?” Therese’s fingers slid down Carol’s cheek, causing her to close her eyes, moving her head towards the source.

Once Carol opened her eyes again, there wasn’t any trace of the previous playfulness in her features, only earnestness. Therese felt dreadness when she saw it but before she could have a chance to question what was going on, Carol stood up without looking away from Therese, watching her bit her lower lip in nervous expectation.

The young woman offered both of her hands, palm up, to Therese, who looked down at the gesture, noticing the sculpted metal bits the gloves had for better accuracy before looking back up to Carol’s face at the time she placed her hands over hers. Slowly, Carol helped her to stand up, carefully placing Therese’s arms on her shoulders, assuring they ended up chest to chest as she wrapped her arms around the woman’s waist.

“Can you hear it?” Therese was certain she was asking about the pounding of their hearts because she was only aware of that. “The music,” she continued when she didn’t get an answer.

With the explanation of what she should be hearing, it was easy for Therese to distinguish it now — a soft melody for slow dancing that could only come from the Arena, an astonishing contrast of the music it had been playing all night. “Yes, I can.”

Carol looked down at Therese, beginning to sway her body at the rhythm of the music. The teacher allowed to be lead, divided between the exhilaration of what was happening and the confusion at the apparent attempt to pretend their conversation didn’t happen.

Deciding that she wasn’t going to ruin the moment if that wasn’t addressed, letting Carol take the reins for once, Therese pressed her hands between Carol’s shoulders, right below her neck, softly caressing the fabric under her fingers.

“You did an amazing job with the outfits,” she whispered under her breath, not wanting to ruin the magic of the moment.

Carol smiled, her eyes following the motion of Therese’s lips. “How did you know I made them?”

Therese rolled her eyes. “I do pay attention to everything you say. Custom design it’s your favorite thing.” Carol looked pleased. “I also saw when you arrived, people pointing at you and your friends so it was easy to deduce.”

“You were watching me?” she raised an eyebrow.

Blushing, Therese leaned her head down a bit. “As if you didn’t know already.”

Carol unwrapped one arm, using it to lift Therese’s head by placing her fingers under her chin. “What are we going to do about this?”

Therese sighed deeply, tempted to lower her head once again but this time Carol pressing her forehead against hers stopped her from it, at the time her arm wrapped once again around her waist. “A big part of me still thinks that no matter how hard it is, this is the right way to go.”

Carol sighed, closing her eyes. “It’s not fair … only because the woman I like happens to be my teacher I miss my chance to be with her?”

She moved closer even when there wasn’t any space to disappear between them. “You deserve something uncomplicated.”

Grey eyes found green ones. “I don’t care what I deserve, Therese, I care for what I want and that’s you.” She was whispering but there was vehemence in her voice. “My life has always been managed for what my father thinks it’s what’s best for me, even coming to this place but for once I’m actually grateful for that.”

Therese shivered at hearing Carol’s words once again.

If she was honest with herself, for a long time she believed that what the young woman felt, it was something temporal and that sooner or later she would get interested in someone else. But the pursuing and sharing things with her that Therese was sure didn’t share with other people, proved that her interest went beyond a simple attraction.

And it was entirely mutual but more than ten years of age difference was slightly concerning because the way Therese saw it, they were in different points of their lives that perhaps what they wanted from the other wasn’t the same even when the interest for each other was.

Therese pulled her head back, licking her lips nervously, causing Carol to whimper which made her smile a little. “What do you want from this? If I-“ she cleared her throat. “If I agree to it.”

Carol’s heart fluttered at the hopeful sensation Therese’s question gave her because if she was making such questions it meant her counterattack was making more sense than the decision she had taken. “I thought I was clear, I want you.”

“But I mean …” another licking. “How- what-” She could feel the heat on her face betraying her blushing. “What would that make us?”

Carol frowned in confusion, not quite understanding the question because for her the answer was obvious. When realization settled in, her eyes widened. “You think I want something casual?” There was incredulity in her voice. “Something like only screwing the teacher and that’s it?”

“No, no, I don’t think that,” she clarified with honesty. “But we won’t be able to have a normal relationship. We are not going to be able to go out, to tell people; we would have to keep it a secret. Why would you want to have something like that?” She wrinkled her nose.

“Because I would have it with you.” One of her hands caressed its way up through the woman’s back. “It’s not ideal, I accept that. I would like to let everyone know but I’m conscious of the circumstances and I can deal with it. When I finish my career it would be different though but I just want to be with you, and as long as you and I know that you are my girlfriend and we are together, I wouldn’t mind having to hide it.”

Therese was trying not to smile at how simple Carol was making it sound, at how tempting and easy it would be to yield. Also, it was hard to keep a straight face since she was internally melting at how confident she sounded about the fact that they would be together beyond college. However, her common sense was still reminding her that she should be the responsible adult. “Carol-”

The aforementioned woman distinguished the change in Therese’s voice and without thinking, she cut her off by leaning down, pressing her lips against hers.

The moment their lips touched, both women felt like their hearts were going to come out of their chests due to the frenetic pounding, eyes still locked with the other’s, not quite believing this was actually happening.

Carol felt Therese moving her hands to her shoulders, making a pressure that clearly indicated that she was about to push her back, especially because she hadn’t missed the way she had tensed under her arms; but suddenly, her body relaxed, Therese’s heart finally winning the battle, sighing contently while closed her eyes and her hands glided towards the blonde locks.

It was all Carol needed as approval, causing her to close her eyes, starting to move her mouth. It was messy kiss ─ finally able to demonstrate their attraction without holding anything back, increased their desperation after every stroke, having them crashing their teeth together or briefly nibbling at the other’s lips as tongues restlessly and sensually massaged against each other until soon enough, they were gasping since they didn’t want to stop kissing, almost as if they believe that at the moment they stopped, they would never get the chance to do it again.

Only when it was extremely necessary, Therese broke the kiss by throwing her head back, an action that Carol used for her benefit to kissing her way up and down through her neck.

“Carol …” It wasn’t an attempt to make her stop, just a need to say her name, to make vocal the effect she was having in her.

“You want this too,” she whispered in her ear, biting the lobe in the next second.

Therese closed her eyes, resting her head against Carol’s, shivering at the action. “Of course I do, I said it the other day.”

“Then stop fighting against it. It doesn’t have to be a ‘but’ after confessing you want it.” As she spoke, she was kissing the woman’s jaw.

Therese placed her hands on Carol’s cheeks, stopping her but avoiding to look directly to her eyes.

During those few seconds, Carol felt every drop of excitement turning into apprehension due to the way Therese’s eyes were scrutinizing her with a serious face, almost as if she was gathering the courage to do something that would be harsh for them. Though she couldn’t help to feel a pang of arousal, noticing the swollen and redden lips, moistened thanks to their kiss. However, it all vanished, leaving nothing but nerves when Therese parted her lips to speak, making Carol feel her stomach fluttering unpleasantly, the complete opposite from just moments ago.

“I think …” she paused, lifting her eyes to make eye contact, aware of the young woman uneasiness but instead of addressing it, she started to smile slowly. “I think we should go to a more private place. Making out outside when we are talking about not being able to do that, it’s a contradiction.”

Carol would have kissed her again if it wasn’t for the pointed look she received. “Yes, absolutely.”

But the young woman didn’t let her go and Therese didn’t attempt to free herself. “You came in your car?”

She shook her head. “No, in Abby’s but I’ll send her a message to let her know I’m leaving.”

Therese watched her doing it, pulling her cell phone out from a pocket that didn't even look like such, chuckling when Carol kept an arm around her. “I promise I won’t leave, Carol.” She draped an arm over the woman’s shoulder, resting her other hand against the collarbone.

The grey eyes left momentarily the bright screen. “It’s not that, I just can’t stop touching you now that I can.” Therese could understand because she was experiencing the same.

While Carol went back to typing, Therese leaned her chin on her shoulder, her fingers unconsciously moving over the smooth fabric of the outfit. Her eyes focused on one star as she mulled about what she was doing.

A big part of her was still convinced that this was a terrible mistake — not Carol but the situation. There was an internal battle in her between what she should be doing like a responsible adult versus what she wanted to do.

Sighing, she closed her eyes, feeling her head saturated with all the thoughts she was having but a calming sensation washed over when Carol turned her head to kiss her cheek. “Done. We can go now.”

Therese answered with a nod, slowly pulling back, sliding her hand down through Carol’s arm to reach her hand and lace their fingers together. Only then, Carol let her go, unwrapping her arm so she could be able to turn around, tugging her softly to walk their way to Therese’s car.


	9. Chapter 9

Once Therese closed the apartment door behind them, she wondered if having so much privacy was the most appropriate way to proceed. Not because she didn’t trust Carol but because she didn’t trust herself. Having the young woman in a place where it would be only the two of them was hard to resist, especially after their kiss and the growing expectation from the car ride. Their way to her apartment had been spent in comfortable silence, exchanging looks and smiles here and there when they stopped in a traffic light. This time, it had been Therese the one subjected to Carol’s scrutiny, able to feel her eyes traveling over her body as she drove almost as if they were touching her.

“I know I told you this already but I really, _really_ like your apartment.” Carol pulled her out of her reverie, making her able to look at her direction, catching her watching around with fascination as if it was the first time.

Therese smiled softly, still having a hard time believing that Carol found her place lovely. “Feel at home.” The young woman immediately sat on the couch. “You want something to drink?”

Shaking her head no, Carol patted the couch next to her. “I want you to come and sit.” Therese blushed for some reason but she did what Carol requested ─ sitting over a bent leg and her body slightly to the side to face the woman, who mirrored her position but she also placed an arm over the backrest. “So …” They looked at each other with earnestness before bursting in laughter at the same time.

Therese stretched an arm to brush a strand of hair behind Carol’s ear. “Have you ever been with a woman?”

Carol briefly closed her eyes when Therese’s fingertips caressed the shell of her ear. “Not in a relationship, just hookups once I realized I fancy them but I never met someone with whom I wanted to have something serious.” She nibbled her lower lip, lowering her gaze in a contemplative attitude. “What about you?” she whispered.

Therese parted her lips, feeling silly for being surprised when Carol’s question made sense. “No, never. In fact, I never felt attracted to one.”

Carol’s eyes widened before she smirked. “Are you telling me I’m your first?”

At the same time, Therese blushed and rolled her eyes, chuckling. “You are going to be unbearable after having that information, isn’t that right?”

“Surely.” Carol moved towards Therese, resting her weight on her bended knee. “But I think some kisses would be able to shut me up about it.”

The teacher sighed when Carol was near enough to brush her nose with hers before launching forward the rest of the way to press their lips together.

This time, Therese reacted immediately, holding onto Carol’s shoulders to pull her closer, sliding her hands next towards her neck, making a soft pressure when they reached her nape. They were taking their time now, kissing softly and slowly; lips pecking the upper lip and then the lower one before making contact with both of them, tongues leisurely massaging the other to taste, foreheads resting against the other when it was time to break the kiss, panting softly to catch their breaths.

When Carol withdrew a little, she looked down, watching the way Therese bit her lower lip as she sighed. “Stop doing things that make me want to kiss you again.” The woman released her lip. “Though you should stop existing for that, so …” She leaned down to peck her tenderly.

Therese giggled while she kissed back. “I can’t do anything about the existing part but I suppose I could help you with all the kissing.”

Carol pulled back to look at her, needing to have a physical confirmation of the words. “So it's serious, are we really going to do this?” The excitement was pouring out from her.

Therese bit her lower lip again but this time in an anxious way. “I still think we shouldn’t, if you want me to be honest but it’s not because I don’t want to. The truth is that I’m interested in you and the fact that I’m your teacher is not enough to stop my feelings about it. I tried and you were right, I was miserable.”

Holding Therese’s face in her hands, Carol rested her forehead against hers one more time. “We will be careful, I promise, I want you to feel that being with me it’s something good, not something you’ll regret at one point.”

She slid her hands through Carol’s back, lacing her fingers together in the lower part. “I won’t ever regret you, Carol.” She opened her eyes, the ones she had closed when Carol leaned against her, to make eye contact. “Because I want you.”

Goosebumps bursted all over Carol’s body as she held her breath.

It wasn’t out of the ordinary that people wanted her, but it was either physically or selfishly, once they discovered whom she was daughter of. However, the way Therese said it sounded so pure and sincere, conveying that she was interested in her, not only in the obvious physical way but in the person she was, wanting to get to know her entirely.

Slightly overwhelmed by it, Carol could only kiss Therese one more time, hoping to demonstrate in that way how much the words meant to her.

During the kiss, Therese pulled Carol towards her as she leaned back on the armrest, ending with Carol laying down on her side with half of her body over Therese’s, between the woman and the couch. The young woman rested her head on her shoulder once they stopped kissing, sighing deeply as she wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist, a content smile curving her lips when she felt Therese’s hands running through her hair.

This was one of the many things Carol loved about their dynamic, the fact that they were able to interact without the need to talk and it wouldn’t feel uncomfortable like the silences she had to experience with her father.

“Your friends know about us, right?” Therese whispered after a while.

For a second, Carol stiffened, thinking about the possibility of Therese not liking such outcome but she was quickly reassured, undoubtedly because Therese noticed, by a soft kiss on her head. “Not every single detail though, but the milestones, yes.” She paused, nibbling her lower lip nervously but when there was a soft humming, she continued. “But I won’t told them about this.”

“Mmm.” Therese was looking at the ceiling as if it had the most fascinating image. “You can tell them if you want.”

Carol propped up on her arm to look at her. “What?” She was trying not to appear too astonished by this.

Slowly, she turned her head in Carol’s direction. “They are your friends, which I’m guessing, you trust them … so if you are fairly certain that they won’t say a word, feel free to do it. If you want to.”

Carol blinked twice before narrowing her eyes, turning her head a little bit in suspicion. “Is this some kind of test to see if I’m able to keep it a secret?”

“No.” Therese chuckled. “I’m serious.”

“But you won’t be able to do that.” She pouted. “It doesn’t seem fair when we both are in this together. For me to have a freedom you don’t.”

For a moment, Dannie came to Therese’s mind. If there was someone with whom she would share this, it would be with him but they weren’t friends outside the University for which she couldn’t be entirely sure if she could trust him. “Knowing that you would be able to do it would be good enough for me.”

Carol didn’t seem too convinced but she also knew that with such opening, she wouldn’t able to not tell something to her friends. She trusted them wholeheartedly and she wanted to share her happiness with them. “Thank you.” She leaned down to kiss the woman’s cheek to then retake her spot on her shoulder.

“I don’t know what the future holds for us but I don’t want you to ever feel strained while we are together,” Therese whispered, her hand resuming the brushing through the blonde locks.

“Hey.” Carol propped up one more time, placing a hand on Therese’s cheek to turn her head in her direction. “Being with you it’s like a dream come true.” She smiled when the other woman blushed. “Even if the situation it’s not ideal, being with you it’s all I want and because of it, being together it’s and will always be wonderful.”

Therese didn’t want to think much about the fact that such answer was influenced by Carol’s youthful and naivety. But she supposed that it was pointless to deal with that conversation at the moment when there was so much to discover between them. Just like Carol couldn’t be sure of what could happen, she neither.

This time, it was her turn to answer with a kiss, leaning on her other arm while the hand that was on Carol’s head made a soft pressure to pull her closer, at the time her lips parted, action that the young woman quickly mimicked so their tongues slowly and softly stroked each other until they shivered by the intensity of it.

Both of them sighed, eyes slightly clouded with pleasure, once they broke apart, sharing a smile at their reaction. “Do you have to be at home at some hour?” Therese asked after glancing at the clock and noticing it was past midnight.

Carol shook her head. “I was going to stay in Abby’s.”

Adopting a pensive expression, she nodded in comprehension. “There’s a small part of me that tells me I should take you there.”

Carol smirked, tracing Therese’s nose with her fingertips. “And what the bigger one tells you?”

“That it wouldn’t be too terrible that you stay with me.” She smiled hesitatingly, not wanting to give the wrong idea.

Holding her breath, Carol found herself struggling between what she wanted to do and what she should do.

She knew it wasn’t a secret for Therese that she desired her, just like it wasn’t for her that the woman she was looking at, wanted her back. However, no matter how much she craved to touch her, to remove the clothes of what she was sure was a gorgeous body and worship it like they way it deserved, Carol didn’t want to give that step just yet, interested in developing a meaningful and emotional connection first and foremost ─ she wanted to have with Therese what her previous relationships, even sexual encounters, lacked of.

Carol cleared her throat softly, sighing deeply. “Therese … you know I want you like crazy but I don’t-” she wavered when the woman’s eyes widened in surprise. “I think we should wait to have sex.”

Therese’s eyes widened once again, stuttering for a few seconds before she was able to say what she was trying to say. “I- I wasn’t referring to that at all … just about you staying, talking until early morning and most likely falling asleep at some point.”

Now it was Carol’s turn to widen her eyes, feeling her face getting hot. “Oh.”

There was a light awkwardness that Therese broke with a chuckle. “Don’t get me wrong, I do want you, quoting you: ‘like crazy’.” She briefly closed her eyes as if she was in pain. “God, you don’t even know what your outfit is doing to me, but I agree with you about the waiting.”

Carol smiled smugly. “Really? My outfit does things to you? What kind of things Miss Belivet?”

Therese didn’t think when she reached out to touch Carol’s collarbone with the tip of her index finger. “I’m pretty sure you have an idea, you are a smart woman.” She whimpered when Carol licked her lips before biting the lower one for a few seconds. “And we should stop right now … this is not a secure path to cross after what we said.” She dropped her hand to her chest.

“Right, right.” She snuggled back down on Therese’s shoulder, closing her eyes.

Their voices began to slur as their conversation kept going, but they were resistant to put an end to this moment until Therese felt Carol’s weight more fully against her, a clear sign that she was succumbing to sleep. “Come on …” she softly patted the young woman’s arm. “Let’s go to bed, we are going to be more comfortable there.”

“No, I’m-” a yawn cut her off.

Therese chuckled, pressing a soft kiss in her head. “Come on, sleepyhead.”

Carol grunted in complaint but she was very compliant when Therese got up, prompting her to do the same. Once on their feet, Therese searched for Carol’s hand, intertwining their fingers, taking the lead towards the stairs to climb them.

Carol’s eyelids were more closed than open by the time they arrived to the bedroom, the light that Therese turned on the moment they were upstairs, not helping much, for which she didn’t look around like the first time she did when she was in the ground floor, only focusing on the bed that seemed to call for her.

“I’m going to give you something to sleep in because I’m sure your current clothes, even if they look so good, are really uncomfortable for it.”

The moment she was done talking, Therese let Carol’s hand go, heading to the closet that occupied half of one of the walls. In the meantime, Carol walked to the bed, sitting at the feet’s edge, a little more awake after the slight startle Therese’s words had caused, enough to pay attention to her surroundings.

The bedroom was the smallest part of the place, counting only with the bed, a shelf above, the closet with a desk next to it and a door which Carol supposed was the bathroom. She smiled amused at the thought that the place, just like Therese, was small and endearing.

“Here.” Carol’s eyes found the white shirt that Therese was holding before locking with hers, making her blush for some reason.

“Thank you.” She took the offered garment, standing up, watching Therese go back to the closet.

She searched for her pajamas before speaking, turning around when she began. “You can use the-” she gasped when she saw Carol pulling down the zipper of her outfit to then hold each side to start lowering it.

Therese couldn’t tear her eyes away, observing every inch that was been uncovered from the shoulders to the chest, gulping when the curve of Carol’s breasts began to be in sight, confirming what she had imagined: that she wasn’t wearing a bra. But before it was too late, especially when she realized that Carol didn’t seem to be doing it on purpose, she forced herself to look away, not wanting to take any kind of advantage, once again turning to face the closet, closing her eyes tightly, though it didn’t help in the slightest since the image was now engraved in her mind.

“Therese …” Carol whispered after a moment and the aforementioned woman hoped her jump hadn’t been too obvious.

“Yes?” she whispered back, not trusting her normal tone.

“Could you lend me some shorts? I’m sure this shirt it’s perfect for you but not quite for me.” Therese couldn’t beat the curiosity and she turned around, relieved when she saw that Carol had already put the shirt on, which barely reach the top of her tights when in Therese’s case reached the middle, the rest of the outfit still in place. “And well, if you don’t want me to give you a show, I need shorts.”

Therese looked up to Carol’s face, finding her smiling, a smile that was impossible to not reciprocate since it was a mixture of amusement and embarrassment that filled Therese with affection. “One shorts coming right up.” This time when Therese walked to Carol to give her the extra garment, she was taking her pajama with her. “I’m going to change.” When Carol nodded, she went to the bathroom, where she rested against the door once it was closed, sighing deeply.

Putting in motion, she quickly changed her clothes to then brush her teeth and clean up her face. In front of the mirror, Therese looked at herself, her hand on each side of the sink, tightening her fingers around the marble before closing her eyes, shaking her head while she lowered it.

She was aware that she was overreacting but after catching a glimpse of Carol’s body, she felt like all she said about not wanting to be intimate with the young woman had been a lie, and now, in the privacy of her bathroom with no one seeing her, she wondered if that hadn’t been the case since the very beginning. Because the attraction she felt for Carol was so strong that if in case of being discovered the consequences would be only for her, she would have acted upon it since a very long time ago because Carol made her feel lightheaded, a sensation as if she was losing her mind.

Taking more minutes than she usually did, Therese finally went back to the bedroom, once she felt she had gathered her control back; but the fact of finding Carol already lying on the bed, under the blankets, sending a pang of longingness, proved her wrong. “I hope you don’t mind I didn’t wait for you to get into bed.”

Carol’s playful smile made Therese look away. “It’s okay, I know you are tired.”

She walked, in what she hoped was a leisure pace to the free side of the bed, sitting on the edge with her back towards Carol, closing her eyes tightly, almost like she was suffering a strong pain, feeling the young woman’s eyes on her before taking her place next to her guest. In an attempt to not raise suspicions, Therese laid down face-up, not trusting herself to make eye contact but not wanting to appear reserved or closed.

Either way, it didn’t work as she hoped.

“Hey, are you okay?” Carol asked with concern, turning into her side after watching the woman’s stiffness, reaching to touch Therese’s cheek but hesitating in the last second.

“Yes.” Turning her head a bit, she smiled, making eye contact to look convincing but she sighed when Carol’s expression didn’t change. “It’s just that I-” she cleared her throat. “I saw you,” she said under her breath.

“You saw me?” There was nothing but confusion in Carol’s voice, not having a clue of what Therese was talking about.

Therese was blushing even before she spoke, feeling like a pervert. “I turned around and I saw you. When you started to change.” she added for a clearer explanation.

“Oh.” Carol nodded comprehendingly. “And?” she asked nonchalant, chuckling when Therese looked perplexed. “I don’t mind if you see me, Therese.” She finally touched her, placing her fingers under her chin to then hold it softly. “I love that you find me attractive and desirable.” She leaned down a bit. “I love that you can’t control it anymore because that got us to this point.”

Therese closed her eyes, biting her lip at the proximity. “You have no idea how much,” she whispered.

“If it’s similar to the way I do, then I do.” Carol licked her lips and since they were practically brushing Therese’s, her tongue touched them too, drawing a soft whimper out of her. “It’s quite a challenge not to do something about it right now.”

“What’s stopping you?” It was a question out of curiosity, not an attempt to challenge her, which she clarified with what she said next. “I know what’s stopping me but what’s your case.”

“I don’t want it to be just sex … I want us to develop something meaningful between us before reaching that point.” Therese smiled with affection, moving to kiss the tip of her nose. “What’s stopping you?”

She took a deep sigh. “The fact that my mind it’s still struggling with the fact I’m your teacher and I should maintain some sort of line between us.” She lowered her gaze for a moment. “I don’t want to do something with such concern and later feel some kind of fake regret.”

Carol tilted her head, her fingers moving from Therese’s chin to her cheek, the one she caressed with the back of her fingers. “I can understand, but I’m fairly certain that’s going to change over time, when you start to see me as your girlfriend and not your student.”

Therese’s heartbeat sped up and melted with the word ‘girlfriend’. “I know.”

“Just don’t freak out entirely and give this a chance.” She hoped her worry about the possibility of Therese’s changing her mind wasn’t too obvious.

Therese turned to her side to face Carol, now taking the turn to caress the young woman’s cheek. “There’s a battle between my mind and heart right now, I won’t deny it, but being with you it’s something I’m sure of — my doubts aren’t about that or you, of that you can be sure.”

Carol nodded with a beautiful smile and both women moved forward, disappearing the distance to join their lips as an arm wrapped around the other’s waist, exchanging tender pecks while their bodies softly shift to get comfortable and ready to sleep.

It was aweing how well they synchronized without the need to talk, with Therese quickly understanding what Carol wanted as she pulled back to lie down face-up on the bed, taking her spot next to the young woman, using her shoulder as a pillow. They sighed at the same time, causing them to chuckle when they tightened their hold around the other with Carol having the opportunity to kiss the woman’s head.

“We will figure it out together,” Carol whispered before they lose themselves in their sleep.

Therese turned her head to press a kiss on her collarbone. “Of course we will.” Because there was nothing she wanted more.


	10. Chapter 10

When Carol woke up the next day, for a terrifying moment she thought everything had been a dream.

She was alone in bed and still in the fog of sleepiness, it had taken several seconds for her to realize she wasn’t in her room. Once she was aware of that, it was easy and quick to pinpoint the soft sounds that were coming from the ground floor. Smiling, Carol rubbed her face with her hands before standing up, heading to the stairs to go down without making any noise.

Therese was in front of the stove, flipping a pancake when Carol’s eyes found her, askance catching a glimpse of the utensils the woman had used to prepare breakfast, stopping for a moment to admire the woman that was still wearing the shirt that reached above the knee and shorts which she had gone to sleep with, her hair adorably disheveled.

Therese jumped, softly gasping when Carol wrapped her arms around her waist from behind, quickly relaxing after the surprise. “I thought you were going to sleep until noon.” She turned her head a bit to look at her over her shoulder.

Carol leaned down to kiss her cheek before answering. “In normal circumstances, I would have but for a very strange reason I feel like a child on Christmas day.” There was a playfulness in her tone.

Therese chuckled coyly, leaning her head against the young woman’s shoulder briefly. “You want breakfast?”

“Yeah, but first …” Placing her hands on Therese’s hips, she made her turn around to face each other. They smiled the moment they made eye contact and soon enough, Carol was leaning down to kiss Therese’s lips with tender affection. “Good morning,” she said after pulling away but she quickly furrowed her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose. “Fuck, I’m sorry for the morning breath.”

Therese eyes widened, then blinked and in the next moment she laughed. “You don’t have to apologize for that.” For good measure, she stood on her tiptoes to give her another kiss. “But there’s an extra toothbrush in the bathroom, in the cabinet mirror, in case you don’t want to deal with that.”

Carol nodded. “Thank you.” After pressing a kiss on Therese’s forehead, she quickly went back to the bedroom to then step into the bathroom. She decided to only clean herself up, remaining in the temporal pajamas, not wanting to give the impression that she wanted to leave.

Going back to the kitchen, Therese had finished cooking and she was placing the plates and silverware on the small square table where there was already a pitcher of orange juice and a pancake container.

Therese raised her gaze to see Carol coming back since this time she wasn’t sneaking out, not pausing her task, now moving to fetch the syrup from the cupboard. “I forgot to tell you that your cell phone has been vibrating from the last half an hour.” She tried to appear relaxed but she couldn’t conceal her concern entirely.

Carol turned into the living room’s direction, searching for the device that she had left on the coffee table. “Must be Abby.”

“It’s on the couch, I was worried about leaving it on the table with how much it was vibrating.” Carol chuckled, walking to retrieve it.

Carol’s eyes widened in surprise when she logged into the app, seeing that she had over fifty new messages, from Abby _and_ Genevieve, who knowingly were still together, scheming to do this. She chuckled at some of the messages, walking back to the kitchen, quickly sending a message to let them know she was still alive and that she would go to see them later once she finished reading. “They can be worse than my dad.”

“Why’s that?” She took a seat.

Carol did the same, sitting across the woman. “I had more than fifty messages! And none of him.” She made a face. “Although, he was aware that I was staying with my friends … they don’t know what happened to me beyond telling them I was leaving.”

Therese smiled, opening the container to place two pancakes in her plate and waiting until Carol took hers. “Are you going to tell them the truth?” she whispered, slowly placing the lid back in its place.

Carol took a moment to answer, the time it took her to syrup her pancakes. “I still don’t know if every single detail but I will tell them I was with you.” She lifted her gaze to Therese. “If you are still okay with that.”

“Yes, I am.” She frowned a little. “I won’t change my mind, Carol.”

“You can’t blame me for wanting to be sure. You kinda did in the past.” But she didn’t say it like a reproach.

“Right, that’s true.” She blushed, smiling bashfully. “But not now that I finally made my mind. I won’t say one thing one day and then regretting it the other ─ I won’t be playing with you when I decided to be together.”

Carol smiled tenderly, tilting her to the side. “All right, then you won’t be hearing any other sort of need to be reassured from me ever again.”

Therese quickly swallowed the piece of pancake she had put in her mouth while Carol talked. “Do you have plans for today?”

“Mmm, not really. I was going to spend the weekend with the girls but we didn’t have anything planned.” She paused to take a bite. “But if I can be honest, I want to stay with you.”

 _It’s ridiculous_ , Therese thought, having thirty-four years old and blushing like a teenager that was receiving attention from her crush. “I think you should go with them.” She blurted out, not taking the time to make her voice soft-hearted so it didn’t sound like a rejection, hurring to clarify when she saw Carol’s chagrin, placing her hand over hers. “No, no ─ I want to stay with you, believe me, but I have to go to college today. I promised Dannie I was going to help him to pick up everything since I helped to put it together and it would be easier.” Carol relaxed with the explanation and Therese squeezed her hand softly. “We could see each other after that? If you are free.”

“Of course, I would love to.” Still under Therese’s hand, she turn hers to intertwine their fingers. “And you don’t have to put it as a question, I will always want to spend time with you. I mean, I’m aware that it won’t be always possible but wanting? Yes, always.”

Therese’s dimples appeared in her cheeks when Carol took their joined hands to kiss hers. “Duly noted.”

Carol didn’t let go Therese’s hand go, making her use the other hand to keep eating, her heart doing somersaults at the fact that Therese preferred the awkwardness of using her non-dominant hand than stop holding hands.

After having breakfast, they went back to the bedroom, where Carol changed into her outfit while Therese took a quick shower, coming out of the bathroom after ten minutes. Carol couldn’t help to turn her head and look at her, part of her hoping to find her wearing only a towel, feeling equally disappointed and relieved when she saw her already dressed. She hadn’t changed her mind but she couldn’t deny to herself the desire the woman made her feel.

Once Carol reacted, she caught Therese looking at her though not at her face. And when she noticed the redness covering all of her face, Carol smirked knowingly. She had been pulling the zipper up, pausing her task while she was reaching below her breasts, the fabric covering her nipples but still leaving part of them revealed, when Therese came out. Instead of keep going, Carol dropped her hand, trying not to appear too daring when the woman lifted her gaze to look at her, her blush deepening at the realization that she had been caught. Therese parted her lips but quickly closed them, not trusting herself.

However, what she did, ended up been more shocking that whatever words that could have come out of her mouth.

Determinedly, Therese walked in Carol’s direction, acting as if it was something she did everyday when she reached with one arm to hold the outfit’s fabric with her fingertips at belly’s height, separating it from the young woman’s body to pull the zipper up with her other hand, purposefully making eye contact when she was going over Carol’s breasts, her expression not revealing the crazy way her heart was beating. The young woman had been holding her breath since the moment Therese’s arm stretched in her direction, even before making full contact, gulping when she felt the woman’s hand patting her chest when she finished.

“It’s okay if I text you when I’m done?” Therese asked as if nothing happened.

Carol blinked twice before replying. “Absolutely,” she whispered, licking her lips afterwards. Therese’s eyes followed the movement but when she looked up, a little smile curved her lips before heading to her closet, where she closed her eyes while taking a deep breath once her back was towards Carol.

When they were ready to go, they headed back downstairs, straight to the door but they ended up taking more time to leave when Carol softly pushed Therese against the wall, stopping her from opening the door while she claimed her lips in a leisure but searing kiss that sent chilling sensations all over their bodies whenever their tongues stroked each other. At some point, Therese, with her hands on Carol’s shoulders, thrusted her hips without even thinking, making Carol wrap her arms around her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies were pressing together, dragging a moan out of their throats.

Without stopping the kiss, Therese moved her hands to hold Carol’s face and only then she pulled her head back a little. “Carol-” She happily keep kissing the young woman when she cut her off but it was only for a few seconds before Carol pulled back again, letting her speak. “We have to stop.” If she admitted to herself, Therese wasn’t sure if she was stopping her because she had a compromise or for what they had talked about waiting.

“I know.” A soft peck on Therese’s lower lip. “I know.” Another on the upper one. She then rested her forehead against the woman’s, sighing deeply. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, you don’t have to apologize for that.” Her hands slid to Carol’s neck. “I get it, most importantly I feel the same,” she clarified, never wanting that Carol doubt if she was in the same page or not.

Carol sighed again before looking at Therese, smiling. “All right.” She slowly moved back but without releasing the embrace yet.

Therese’s hands kept sliding from her shoulders to the young woman’s arms, squeezing her biceps. “I will take you to Abby’s or at least get your nearby, sounds good?”

“Yes, please, that would be great.” She finally stepped back, letting Therese go, the disappointment of doing it quickly vanishing when Therese stretched her arm, searching for her hand.

* * *

Therese sighed when she saw Dannie’s car parked in front of the Arena, parking next to it. She jogged once she was out, knowing that she was going to be interrogated for her disappearance from the previous day.

Being with Carol easily made her forget about everything else.

Inside the building, Therese suddenly slowed down, an impulse making her act like the complete opposite of what she had being doing, wanting to delay the most she could what she was sure it was going to happen.

She stopped dead in her tracks when she found Dannie sitting on a bench, waiting for her, frowning a little but quite relieved now that he was looking at her. “I was seriously contemplating calling the police but since you have to wait 72 hours to report a disappearance …”

Therese’s stance sagged, looking contrite. “I’m sorry about disappearing without saying goodbye, something unexpected came up.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

“Right.” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m just glad you are okay.”

“Of course, you have nothing to worry about.” Therese looked away before making eye contact once again, smiling a little. “So, where do we start?”

As usual, distracting Dannie with a task was the best way to go, or so Therese thought.

They started with the seats, with Therese doing most of the job to disconnect things without the risk of breaking them down, fully aware of how and where to move first while Dannie put everything away in boxes.

They weren’t speaking much since Therese was daydreaming about the previous night and this morning, putting a tender smile on her face that she wasn’t consciously aware of; but Dannie, who had been looking at her without seeming too obvious, couldn’t have miss it.

He knew it wasn’t any of his business but the noticeable change in Therese’s mood since the tennis match was too hard to ignore. However, he didn’t feel like he had the right to ask any questions, which why he had been scrutinizing the woman the previous days ─ not like a stalker that did nothing else, but from time to time, he tried to gauge Therese’s mood and the reason for it, looking away before she could sense his gaze. He could see that today there had been another change but he couldn’t put his finger in if it was a good one or not, though perhaps he could imagine with all the smiling Therese was doing.

When they finished with the seats, they moved on ─ Dannie to disassemble the mausoleums and Therese to disconnect the cables assembly from the main area before beginning to dismantle the decoration. “How come it’s only me and you doing this?” Therese asked after filling a second box, placing it next to the others on the bench.

“Because we are the lamest people that don’t have anything to do on a Saturday noon.” Therese did a peculiar gesture that Dannie had never seen before. “At least that’s what you told me yesterday when I told you I had to come today and you volunteered to help me.”

“Right, right.” It had happened before Carol arrived to the party, never imagining that her life would give a 180-degree turn.

There was a moment where only they movements they did to place an item into the box was impeding to fall in silence. “Does this have to do with the unexpected thing it happened to you?” Therese blushed but she didn’t look at Dannie nor answered. “Because if you have plans, I don’t want to be the reason to ruin your weekend.”

“No, no, I accepted to help you first, whatever plan I had, it can wait.” She briefly looked at him to smile.

“First?” He frowned in concentration, his brains slowly connecting the dots he had been gathering over the days. When the full picture form in his head, he widened his eyes in surprise even if he didn’t have a confirmation. “Oh my god. Oh my god!” he repeated with more emphasis when Therese looked back at him with concern, thinking that he had hurt himself. “You … and Carol.” The simple fact of hearing that sentence made Therese panic.

“W-wha-?” She felt her throat dry, but she forced herself to laugh. “What does she has to do with me?”

“It makes total sense now!” He flourished as he speak, not looking at her, wanting to concentrate in linking the dots. “Your sudden leave during the tennis match and your change of humour after that day. Now that I think about it, Carol was also in a picky mood. Then your reaction yesterday when you saw each other … and I didn’t think much when you told me you were going to smoke yesterday, but when you didn’t come back and Carol’s friends asked me if I had seen her ...” he trailed off, clearly not needing to explain more.

“Dannie …” Therese was trying so hard to force her brain to come up with a convincing lie but it was practically impossible due to her nervousness.

“Now you are in a good mood, anyone can see it, you look almost … internally giddy,” he continued as if she hadn’t say anything. “There’s an eagerness in the way you are doing things, as if you couldn’t wait to finish and I imagine it’s because you have plans with her.”

Therese gulped with difficulty, looking like a deer in the headlights. She looked away, her eyes traveling around the Arena, almost as if she was looking for a way out. There was a dreadful sensation wandering all over her body, the kind of sensation someone felt when they were aware of something terrible was about to happen.

Before she could dwell into it, Dannie turned to look at her, his eyes widening when he noticed Therese’s paleness, so heavy that it appeared she was going to get sick or faint at any second. “Hey, no, no. I don’t want you to think I’m going to turn you in.” He slowly moved closer to her, not wanting to scare her. “I’m just beyond surprised … and I’m imagine the fact that you looked like you seen a ghost confirms everything I said.” He smiled gently.

It took Therese a moment to gather herself and calm down, being able to say something after nodding first. “It didn’t happen right away.” She felt the need to clarify. “I tried so hard to act like the authority figure I’m supposed to be for her but-” She closed her eyes, shaking her head and snorting a laugh.

Dannie chuckled, placing her hands on Therese’s shoulders, squeezing in what it was meant to be a comforting manner. “I always knew you were different.”

The kindness which with the man was looking at her convinced her that he was honestly on her side and it wasn’t some kind of ruse. “It’s crazy, I know it.” Therese didn’t know what she was looking for when she said that, because she knew that even if Dannie agreed with her, she wouldn’t change her mind when it came to be with Carol. Perhaps he would have been able to do it before surrendering herself to the situation, but not anymore.

“Mmm, I don’t think it’s crazy.” He tenderly pursed his lips. “Your circumstances are not the most appropriate when you are teacher-student but when you feel a connection with someone, no matter what the obstacles you face, you are going to find a way to be together.” He shrugged.

Therese blinked stupidly when Dannie smiled at her, like she couldn’t understand what had been said, surprising both of them when she suddenly launched forward to hug him, closing her eyes after a few seconds when his arms wrapped around her, softly patting her back. Knowing, that even when she wasn’t aware of, this was what she had been needing: having someone to share what had been happening and the reassurance that it wasn’t terrible to act upon her feelings even when she was standing in a rocky and very uncertain place.


	11. Chapter 11

Carol couldn't keep her smile at bay as she headed to Abby’s house, feeling Therese’s gaze on her for a brief moment before she listened the car rev up to head off. Carol had asked Therese to leave her one block away from her friend’s to be able to say goodbye to the woman without making her self-conscious of the probability of being seen by Carol’s friends.

In that way, the young woman had gotten a slow parting kiss, with Therese holding her face in her hands to take control, making Carol melt at the way she was kissed. After agreeing that Therese would send her a message, letting know when she was done with what she had to do in the University, Carol had got off the car to go with her friends.

At every step she gave, she was striked by an apprehensive sensation.

Her relationship with Therese wasn’t something Carol wanted to keep hidden, even when she knew it was what they needed to do to be together but the prospect of revealing it to her friends made her slightly apprehensive. She knew they would support her, even Abby, whom had reacted as if Therese had done something personally to her by rejecting Carol. But that was the same reason why she was hesitating a bit — her friend was fiercely protective of the ones she loved and it existed the possibility (even if low) to hear that she was an idiot by giving the woman a chance after she hurt her once, although she knew she was going to end up blurting everything out because she was that excited.

And apparently, she wasn’t the only one because after she rang the bell, she was barely dropping her arm when the door flung open, not having the chance to see who of her friends was, before someone was holding her by the wrist, tugging her inside.

Carol huffed when she was backed down against the now closed door, facing _both_ of her friends when she was finally left in peace and was able to react at what transpired in the last seconds. “What the hell you two?!” She frowned.

“You can’t blame us after telling us you were with Therese when you couldn’t stand her a few hours ago,” Abby said mockingly.

Carol rolled her eyes. “You and your habit to exaggerate everything.”

“Whatever.” Carol and Genevieve snorted at the childish reply. “So, what happened?!”

Carol’s eyes went from one friend to another, amused by the eager way they were looking at her ─ eagerness that she could tell was turning into frustration since she wasn’t saying anything, which caused her to chuckle. “Can I change at least?” She had loved the reaction her outfit had on Therese but after walking a block where she was leered by unwanted people, she was desperate to be in normal clothes.

Abby growled and Genevieve’s expresion mirrored her girlfriend’s mood but both of them stepped back, allowing Carol to walk to her friend’s bedroom where her sport bag was waiting for her. “I’ll be quick,” she raised her voice when she reached the room to be listened by the other two who surprisingly stayed in the living room instead of following her, chuckling when she received a begrudging agreement.

Once in the bathroom with her bag on the sink, Carol looked herself in the mirror, her smile growing wider inevitably. It was ridiculous how giddy she was. More ridiculous it was that she couldn’t remember the last time (or if ever) she had felt this way before.

Understandably, since her mother’s death, Carol had lost the ability to fully enjoy every experience she had; to have her father wanting to approve everything she did or not, didn’t help her case, always giving her the sensation of being judged of whatever she could do.

She knew that in school, she gave an ‘I do what I want without caring’ vibe but it was given at her because she was the principal’s daughter and not because she projected it. Everyone thinking that that gave her a free pass to whatever she wanted but the reality of her way of being was very far from that.

Her friendship with Abby and Genevieve was the only thing she had that she had chosen on her own because they had been the only ones who sincerely wanted to meet the person and not the daughter of the man in power; having them had helped her to realize she was strong enough to ignore her father’s attempts to push her towards people who, according to him, were more suitable for her.

Now with Therese, she was realizing she might be strong enough to change her life.

Dressed with loose jeans, a pink plaid shirt, and comfy matching sneakers, Carol went back to the living room, finishing buttoning the garment as she reached the place.

Genevieve was sitting on one side of the largest wine couch while Abby was laying down on it, using her girlfriend’s lap as a pillow, eyes closed since tender fingers ran through her hair but she lazily opened them when she heard Carol’s steps. Carol found fascinating how synchronized those two were because, at the same time, Genevieve raised her head to look at her, making her wonder how long it would take Therese and her to reach such point.

With her friends’ eyes following her, Carol dropped on the single couch, crossing her legs. She looked at them as if she was expecting something, trying not to laugh at their expectant expressions, their eyes widening when she slowly parted her lips to talk. “So …” There was an imperceptible movement forward, almost as if they were getting ready for a race. “What’s for lunch?” Carol laughed at the annoyed way her name was pronounced by the pair.

“God, you are the worst.” Abby moved to sit, crossing her arms like a child about to throw a tantrum.

“And you still wanted to be my friend, who’s more at fault here?” She raised an eyebrow.

Genevieve chuckled but she hurried to stop them, knowing they could go like this for a long time, forgetting the important subject. “Come on, Carol. We tried not to lose our minds yesterday night but after your message this morning …” she trailed off, not needing more to explain what she was trying to say.

Carol sighed, closing her eyes. “All right, all right. But I don’t know what you guys want to hear if you already know I was with Therese.” She smiled mischievously, looking at them.

“Come on!” Abby intervened. “The last thing we knew was that you two weren’t talking because she was convinced she was making a mistake by getting closer to you and now you are spending the night with her?!”

“And making out with her,” Carol said nonchalantly, waiting for it. It didn’t take beyond an incredulous blink before they were reacting to the news.

Carol couldn’t understand what they were saying since they were speaking at the same time, only able to distinguish a ‘ _what?!_ ’ and several ‘ _oh my god!_ ’, their voices getting more squeaky as seconds passed and they got louder. However, she didn’t interrupt them, watching them standing to pace and address each other since she was still feeling like the way they were reacting, she simply was better at concealing it.

After a minute or so, Abby and Genevieve started to calm down, sitting back on the couch — Carol knew them well enough to know it was only because they wanted to hear every detail.

“How did that even happened?” It was hard to surprise Abby to the point she looked like she was facing the impossible but that was exactly like she looked right now with her eyes like saucers and her mouth fall open.

Carol managed to smirk sheepishly before telling them what transpired between them in the University. It was fascinating to see her friends’ expressions, shifting as she spoke, so different from the other even when they were conveying the same thing ─ Abby looking like a shocked cartoon while Genevieve only gave her shock away with her raised eyebrows and a light vibe of astonishment. It was clear they want to share their input as Carol went on but they managed to keep quiet until she stopped talking, sharing the necessary details but not everything because they didn’t need to know how domestic it had been their time together once the walls started to crumble down.

There was a moment of silence once Carol stopped talking, as if the two young women were digesting what they just heard. “So what, now you are in a relationship with her?” Genevieve questioned in a low voice.

When Carol nodded, Abby took over. “And how can you be so sure that she’s not going to change her mind as she had been doing?” It wasn’t meant to be an attack towards Therese but a sincere concern.

Carol sighed, shifting her position, uncrossing her legs to lean forward and rest her elbows on her knees, looking at the floor as she moved. “By trusting her.” She raised her gaze, looking extremely earnest. “I only have her word as voucher but if we are going to be in a relationship that works, I have to trust her.”

This time Genevieve nodded before looking at Abby, who looked back at her. It was as if they were having a silent conversation for a moment before looking at Carol, who was waiting for this with raised eyebrows. “Well,” Genevieve started. “If I’m honest it’s a little hard to imagine how could this work but I hope it does because I know, with just that talk, how much you like her.” Carol smiled gratefully.

“On the other hand, it’s going to be really hard to see Therese and not to think about you and her making out from now on,” Abby added.

Carol placed her face on her hand, rubbing her forehead as she chuckled, watching Genevieve playfully hitting her girlfriend’s thigh. “I suppose as easy as it is for me to look at you two and not think about all the things you do in private.”

Genevieve joined in the others’ laughter, being the first one to stop. “Can I ask you something without making you feel bad about it?” She looked at Carol so she knew she was addressing her. “You are going to spend less time with us now, right?” she asked once her friend agreed.

Disoriented, Carol blinked a few times, not having considered that before. Her friend’s question made total sense now that it was out in the air, forcing her to think about it. She supposed there was going to be a notorious change between them ─ there had been since Abby and Genevieve became a couple and not because they push her aside but because Carol herself wanted to give them time on their own. She was glad that she had done it since now she had a relationship on her own, understanding the need of being with that person.

“Uhm, I think so.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “We didn’t discuss much about it since we both know we won’t be able to have a free relationship but she told me she was okay with the idea of you guys knowing about us.”

They seemed surprised at that. “Did she?” Abby nodded after Carol’s confirmation, pleased. “That’s nice.” She suddenly started to grin like a cat that ate the canary. “Imagine us on a double date though.”

It was Carol’s turn to widen her eyes before laughing at the image ─ now she realized that having to have a secret relationship could have its’ perks because she wouldn’t make Therese go through something like that, knowing Abby could be too much. At the same time, she couldn’t stop the thought that she wished to have the opportunity to do it sometime in the future.

* * *

Therese was drumming the steering wheel with her fingertips as she waited for Carol, concealing her need to look through the window in the group of friends’ direction, not wanting to seem like she was hurrying her even though it was true that she was a little self-conscious of waiting in front of Abby’s house, paranoid about the possibility of coming across from someone of the University.

Since the moment Dannie found out, Therese had been feeling like in a dream where you were conscious of being in it and she wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good or bad thing. Though it was liberating that someone she could consider a friend (even if on a minimum scale), knew, not realizing how much she was carrying by not being able to share it with anyone.

After she relaxed and got to the idea that he knew and was okay with it, she had told him more details about how things developed between Carol and her, almost expecting that at some point he would open his mouth, change his mind about supporting her and tell her she was making a terrible mistake.

It never happened ─ Dannie just listened to whatever she needed to say, paying attention to every word even smiling at the student’s cunningness in some cases. As she spoke, Therese realized the man had been right, able to hear the giddiness in her words, especially when she talked about what transpired between them the previous day.

They have taken more time than expected to finish picking everything up since Dannie invite Therese to lunch so they could talk and it was around one o’clock when Therese was able to send Carol a message, receiving an answer not long after that made her stomach flutter like a teenager when she saw the young woman’s name on her screen, telling her that if it was okay for her to pick her up in front of Abby’s house.

Therese was convinced that the dopey sensation she had fallen into due to a simple message was the one responsible for making her say yes without even thinking, eager to see Carol as soon as possible.

Therese was pulled out of her thoughts when the car’s door opened, followed by Carol taking the passenger’s seat seconds later. They exchanged a quick look, incapable to stop the smile that curved their lips before Therese broke the contact first to switch the car on.

Sideways, she could see Carol waving her friends goodbye while she slowly speed up but she suddenly felt the duty to raise her hand and do the same in a gesture of acknowledgment, aware that those two were important for Carol.

There was an awkward silence for a few feet since they still weren’t entirely sure of how they could or should react between each other ─ both having the desire to reach to kiss and touch but aware that even when they were in the privacy of the car, they were in a public setting.

“So, did you have a good time with your friends?” Therese grimaced at how clinical she sounded.

But it seemed like Carol understood because she smiled softly, not taking it personally. “Yeah. I did tell them about us,” she confirmed.

Therese nibbled her lower lip. “How did they take it?”

“They were surprised but as long as I’m happy, they will be okay with it.” She shrugged.

“Are you?” Therese briefly looked at her. “Happy?”

Carol, who had been looking at her since they were out of her friends’ view, rested her head on the headrest. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Therese blushed but smile tenderly because yes, it was.

Letting the steering wheel go with one hand, she placed it on Carol’s knee, who looked at it with fascination before taking it between both of hers. “Dannie knows about us,” Therese blurted out after a moment of silence, no longer awkward now that they were in contact, doing what they craved. Therese was astonished by the simple fact of touching Carol was able to shut down every anxious thought in her.

Carol’s eyes widened in surprise, not expecting that. “You told him?”

“No.” She scrunched up her nose. “He guessed it.” When they reached a red light, Therese turned her head to look at Carol, who hadn’t changed her expression at the revelation, in fact, she looked more surprised and slightly confused. “As strange as it sounds, he linked everything together by the fact I left your tennis match and had a mood change afterwards.”

Carol smiled, not because she enjoyed the idea of an upset Therese but because it was nice knowing that she hadn’t been the only one so affected by what she felt. “Are you worried about him knowing?”

“No, I trust him.” However, she nibbled her lower lip in what it was a nervous manner so Carol decided to wait for her to continue. “But I do wonder if we are so damn obvious that anyone would be able to tell.”

Carol took a moment to digest the woman’s words while the car went back in motion, wanting to reassure her. “I think that was because we haven’t reached this point and we … okay, _you_ tried to deny what was happening between us.” She chuckled. “Now that we are allowing ourselves to follow our feelings,” she kept holding Therese’s hand with one of her own, wrapping her fingers around it so she wouldn't remove it as she brushed her hair back with the other one, “I’m sure that’s going to make a difference because, um, we can finally act on what we feel.”

Therese slowed down a bit to look at Carol for a brief moment, amazed at how serious, mature and sure of herself she sounded. She couldn’t help but blame her youth for how easy she made their situation sound when it was everything but that; strangely, at the same time, there was a sensation of hopefulness ─ she could be the older one, the one that ‘knew better’, but this was the first time Therese was getting involved with someone she actually liked and wanted to be with, it wasn’t a stupid attempt to get rid of the annoyance of being approached by someone. She supposed that was the exact reason why she was filled with such optimism and why Carol’s confidence was contagious.

The only answer Therese gave to the young woman’s words was taking their joined hands to her mouth, placing a lingering kiss on the back of Carol’s as she focused back on the road, squeezing it afterwards and smiling when once again, made eye contact for a few seconds, enough to see Carol happily smiling at her, sighing contently, feeling her insides melting because of that.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing that I forgot to mention for future references and it's very important for this chapter... 😅 I'm aware that most schools now have cameras, but that wasn't a thing when I went to school and I stupidly forgot to update my brain about it. So because of it, let's think the University has another security measures that cameras are not necessary 😆
> 
> Now... I leave you with the chapter that many of you had been waiting for 😛

* * *

Getting used to having a secret relationship wasn’t as complicated as Therese had thought.

They always managed to spend time together without disregarding their responsibilities, neither of them wanting to be a bad influence for the other. During their classes, there wasn’t any difference, still stealing glances from time to time, sharing secrets smiles and brief moments after it ended before Carol had to hurry to the next one or if it was the last one of the day, go with Abby and Genevieve to not raise any kind of suspicions.

The main differences in the school’s routine were the knowingly looks and smirks Dannie gave them whenever he felt sassy enough to friendly mess with them, causing Therese to blush and that Carol mirror such smirk ─ Carol’s friends also looked at Therese knowingly but they kept their teasing exclusively for Carol. And the fact that Carol, one day had sneaked (not that everyone would dare to question her) into her father’s office to take one of the master keys to be able to go to the roof of their building, giving them a wider freedom since they didn’t have to be aware of whatever noise they could hear if they were in the classroom.

Today, after Therese finished giving a class, instead of leaving right away as she usually did (always packing her things aways in the last five minutes), she sat back on the desk, deciding to grade some works since she didn’t have another class to impart, knowing that Carol was busy, staying there instead of going to the Teacher’s Room, where surely there would be other people and she preferred the quiet to be focused. She lost herself in the task after a few minutes, completely engrossed of the words she was reading that she didn’t notice how much time it passed for Carol to step inside the classroom, closing the door behind her, until she broke the silence.

“Good afternoon, Professor Belivet.”

Therese immediately shivered at the way Carol pronounced those words, amazed by the ability to make it coyly seductive. “Hello, Carol.” She raised her head to look at the young woman’s direction, smiling when she saw her resting against the door, her arms behind her.

“I know we didn’t have plans to see each other today since I have things to do,” she wrinkled her nose, “but I couldn’t go one day without seeing you even if for a brief moment since today we don’t have class with you,” Carol hurried to explain, pouting a bit to project a more miserable expression.

Therese chuckled sweetly, leaving the pen she was holding on the desk but without giving the intention to stand up. “As long as doing it doesn’t mess entirely with what you have to do, you can come to see me whenever you want.”

Counting with the woman’s approval, Carol quickly walked towards her, leaning down after she placed one hand on the backrest of the chair Therese was seated and the other over the desk. The teacher turned her head in time to join her lips with Carol’s in a soft and tender caress that even when it lasted a brief moment, it was enough to make them smile goofily.

When they broke apart, Carol removed her hand from the chair to place it on Therese’s cheek, moving her thumb over it, gazing at the green eyes with adoration. Therese could feel the blushing crawling up from her neck to her face despite now being accustomed to the fact that Carol simply loved to admire her.

“Are you going to stay here until you finish with those?” Carol looked down at the papers scattered all over the desk.

“What time is it?” She rested her back against the backrest, stretching lightly.

Carol dug into her jeans pocket to pull her cell phone out, leaning against the desk. “It’s ten to twelve.”

Therese’s eyes widened in surprise after knowing she had been here for an hour. “I think I should leave, at some point, someone will likely use this classroom.”

Without moving from her spot, Carol observed her standing up, smiling when Therese’s body brushed hers due to the lack of space to move but she turned towards the desk, putting herself in motion when the woman started to gather her things, helping her in the task ─ piling the papers up to then hand them to her so Therese could put them in her satchel, who thanked her by kissing her cheek.

It was still surreal, if Carol was honest with herself, although in a good way if that was even possible, to see this woman and know she was her _girlfriend_ despite all the odds.

“Why weren’t you in the Teacher’s Room?” Carol asked after handing the last pile.

“I wanted the quiet, and with Dannie, it’s practically impossible to get that,” she answered while zipping shut her satchel.

Carol chuckled. “Is he still teasing you?” It had been a few months after the Halloween party after all.

Therese rolled her eyes with a smile. “Are your friends still teasing you?”

“Touché.” This time they shared a laugh.

“Being around him feels like being high school.” Though Therese wouldn’t change it for anything, having someone on your corner was pretty reassuring.

“Tell me about it, I have two.” She straightened out the satchel’s strap crossing Therese’s chest, giving a soft pat afterwards.

Therese felt her heart swelling joyfully when Carol’s eyes locked with hers, smiling happily at her. “What are your plans for the day?” she asked, taking the young woman’s hand to start heading towards the door.

“Once I’m done with school? I’m not entirely sure …” she trailed off, biting her lower lip in an attempt to not say what she wanted.

It was clear that both desired to spend the rest of the day together, a thing they actually could do behind doors in Therese’s apartment but neither wanted to be the first one to bring it up in case the other didn’t share their opinion. In their minds, it swirled the possibility that if they spent so much time together, their partner would get sick of them.

In silence they reached the door where Carol let Therese’s hand go in order to take her jacket from one of the hangers on the wall, standing behind her to help her to put it on.

Therese was lost in her thoughts, her gaze nailed on the patterns of the door, mulling if she simply should risk asking or not while Carol’s eyes focused at the back of the woman’s neck, her arms moving instinctively over her shoulder, smoothing the fabric on the shoulders before her hands moved to the collar, accommodating it properly, purposefully brushing Therese’s, smiling when she noticed the goosebumps showing up on the alabaster skin.

Therese’s eyes widened at the unexpected caress, closing in the next second, her lips parting slightly when Carol continue with the action, making her tremble. “Carol …”

The way her name was said made Carol react without thinking twice, wrapping her free arm in front of Therese’s belly, smashing her chest against her back while her hand, without stop touching the woman’s neck, slid in front towards the left side just as Carol’s lips made contact with the other. Therese’s head followed Carol’s hand to give her space to pepper her with kisses that had turned open-mouthed.

Therese took one arm back, her hand sliding through the soft blonde locks, nuzzling her head against Carol’s, who was quick to read the gesture, raising her head while Therese turned the rest of the way to make possible to kiss. They moaned when their tongues met in sensual strokes, their stomachs clenching with desire.

Carol didn’t regret the decision of waiting to be intimate but she couldn’t deny that it had been quite the challenge to keep her hands to herself as days went by and it was getting harder to stop whenever their actions got more intense. Like at the moment, her hands guided Therese’s body so she turned around without stop kissing, backing her against the wall next to the door once they were front to front.

Therese pulled her head back, gasping for air and when their eyes met during that moment, they noticed the other one’s pupils dilated, which prompted Carol to launch forward, resuming their passionate kiss. This time, Therese’s arms found their way around Carol’s shoulders, making force to pull her against her, her body arching to the source of her pleasure when the young woman’s hands rested on her back, sliding down, stopping on the curve of her ass.

Only the sound of voices coming from outside the classroom was capable to remind them where they were, causing them to startle and break the hug, as if they were caught red-handed by a person, leaving a huge distance between them.

Therese, with widened eyes, was staring at nothing, one hand covering her lips, feeling them swollen and moistened. Carol ran her hands through her hair, avoiding looking at Therese, worried that the woman would suddenly realize that she was a bad influence and end their relationship in that very moment but she couldn’t ignore her when she cleared her throat, clearly trying to draw her attention.

As she moved her head towards the woman’s direction, Carol could feel her heartbeat quickening to the point she felt breathless with nerves. However, Therese didn’t look angry but dumbfounded, an expression that made her look adorable with her widen eyes, blushed cheeks and timid attitude. Carol wanted to kiss her again but she stayed right where she was, knowing she shouldn’t risk her luck.

“I- well- uhm.” She cleared her throat again, trying to get it together. “We really shouldn't be doing that here.”

Carol could breathe in peace now. “Right. I would apologize but I’m not sorry for kissing you.”

Therese tried to dedicated her a stern look but she ended up smiling. “Breaking news.” Carol chuckled. “Anyway … we should go since we both have things to do.”

Carol nodded without saying a word. With all the intention to go out first to make sure the coast was clear, she walked to the door but when her hand was on the knob, about to turn it, a voice stopped her. “Carol.”

For a moment, the young woman felt a pang of apprehension, believing in the possibility that Therese might have changed her mind in that short time and what was about to come what the thing she dreaded the most. But when she turned around, the woman was looking at her with a soft smile, one arm stretched in her direction.

It took Carol a second to realize Therese was offering her some keys once she focused her eyes on the woman’s hand.

“The keys of my apartment,” she explained, not missing Carol’s confusion. “See you later?”

Carol felt the impulse to snatch what was being offered to her, not wanting to give Therese the time to take it back but she somehow found the strength to school her reaction, calmly walking back at Therese’s direction and taking the keys gently, as if the gesture didn’t feel like she hadn’t been trusted with something important. “Of course. See you later.” She kissed Therese’s cheek, keeping her lips on the skin for more time than necessary, goosebumps going all over her body at the happy sigh the woman did.

* * *

“I need you to lend me your car.”

Abby jumped at the unexpected voice behind her ear, tearing her eyes away from the book she was looking at as she waited for her girlfriend, finding Carol almost vibrating with anxiety, which aggravated slightly when she didn’t answer right away. “Don’t you have yours?” It was the first thing that came to her confused mind.

“I have to leave early but I don’t want anybody to realize that I’m not actually here,” Carol explained, quickly looking around to make sure nobody was listening.

“Okay …” she trailed off, taking her hand to her jeans’ pocket. “Will you be back by the time we have to go?”

Carol shook her head. “No, but that’s why we are going to switch cars for the day.” She was already holding her keys so she gave them to Abby, who was looking more confused.

“What are you going to do?”

Carol hoped she was doing a good job to conceal her excitement. “I want to surprise Therese in her apartment, food, flowers … all the package.” She shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal.

Abby tilted her head, never looking away from her friend as she pulled Carol’s car keys inside her pocket. “It’s some kind of month anniversary? You look pretty eager about it.”

Carol opened her mouth but quickly closed it.

She didn’t have a problem to share things with Abby but she wasn’t entirely sure if she was reading Therese’s invitation correctly and something more was going to happen because it wasn’t the first time she was invited since it was the only place they could be with freely. However, it was the first time Therese gave her the keys to arrive before her and after what transpired in the classroom, it felt like the ‘to be continued’ message was implicit but she didn’t want to take it for granted.

So Carol shook her head. If something indeed happened, Abby and Genevieve would be the first ones to know. “I just want to let my girlfriend know how much it means to me that she’s putting up with me.”

Abby nodded in understanding. She had done the same for Genevieve a handful of times. “Have a good time, then.”

Carol nodded with a smile. “Say Gen goodbye from my part?” Abby nodded again. “See you tomorrow!” It took her a great effort to not sprint towards her friend’s car.

* * *

Carol, standing in front of the apartment’s door, looked around with a critical eye, wanting to make sure everything was okay and nothing was missing.

She had gone home first to take a shower, paying no mind to the fact that she showered in the morning, ignoring the curious looks, knowing they would never say a word to her father, dressing in a black short sleeve bare shoulders dress that reached mid-thigh that managed to look discreet and provocative; took a wine from her father’s cellar, bought the food (which everything was already in place on the kitchen table), and a big amount of roses that would make possible to start her own flower shop along with some candles that adorned the apartment.

She nodded, pleased by the way things looked.

Even if it didn’t happen what Carol was thinking, she wouldn’t be disappointed because she liked to make Therese feel special. However, if everything led to them finally having sex, there was no way she was going to stop it, having achieved what she had wanted during the waiting time.

Therese and she had got to know each other well enough in the time they had been dating. Carol even managed to avoid the trip her father had planned for the winter break just to spend the most time with her and they had surely taken advantage of it, talking about everything and nothing.

By now, they knew the basics: favorite color, movie, flower, food, and the things that followed that line of thought but they also managed to talk about more personal things.

Carol told Therese about her dream career, explaining to her confused girlfriend that it was Harge who pushed her to Arts, taking advantage of his position; about the loss of her mother (breast cancer), how because of it, her father became smothering of her. Therese also shared the strained relationship she had with her mother, who didn’t see her worthy for the simple fact she wasn’t married. It had been left unspoken the fact that neither parent would be supportive of their relationship and not due to the age difference but far from making them feel like an extra obstacle, it brought them closer because they knew their approval wasn’t necessary for them.

A soft knock pulled Carol out of her reverie, who stood up without moving, looking at the door as if it was some kind of dangerous animal. There was the doubt if Therese was at the other side, a thing it would be easy to verify once she tiptoed to look through the peephole but in the end, it wasn’t necessary because a voice broke through.

“Carol? It’s me.” Therese blushed, thinking it was totally ridiculous to be knocking at her own apartment.

The door opened immediately, Carol not minding giving the idea that she had been waiting next to it because that was almost accurate although she hadn’t done it on purpose, greeting Therese with a huge smile. “Hi, you.”

“Hello.” It made her feel like a fool the fact that she still blushed whenever Carol didn’t hold back in showing how much she enjoyed her presence, which she always did when they were alone.

The young woman didn’t give Therese the opportunity to look around once she was inside and the door locked, not even giving her the time to take her jacket away nor her satchel, wrapping an arm around her waist, her other hand resting at the side of Therese’s neck, copying the position they had taken on the classroom.

Before kissing her, slowly but passionate; Carol made eye contact, wanting to make sure that Therese was recalling the very same thing (as if she could forget it, she had been distracted several times during the day because of it).

After pulling back (Carol mentally bowed to not lose control), Therese licked her lips as she recovered her breath. “That has to be the most wonderful welcome I’ve ever experienced.”

“After meeting your ex, I’m not a little bit surprised.” She kissed the woman’s nose while she chuckled. “Come on, I made food.”

Therese managed to take her satchel off even when Carol had held her hand after turning around to walk to the kitchen, leaving it on the individual couch. “You made food?” That was something she didn’t know about her girlfriend.

“Well … I actually bought it … but with money I _made_ possible for us to have it.” Therese laughed, entirely amused with Carol’s logic.

It was in the kitchen that Therese noticed that something was different due to the pleasant and soft smell, knowing food couldn’t be responsible for it. She noticed the roses in the middle of the table and a few small bouquets on the cabinets. Something prompted her to turn around, discovering all the place was decorated. “Carol …” She looked at the young woman with eyes whining with emotion.

“Don’t even think about thanking me. You deserve this and more.”

But Therese wouldn’t stay with crossed arms. This time, it was her who reached for Carol, wrapping her arms around her waist, standing on her tiptoes to kiss her chin, causing Carol to lean down to join their lips, which was what she was looking for. Therese took her time to kiss her, first by exchanging tender pecks that deepened after a moment when Therese parted Carol’s lips with her tongue.

The young woman, not missing a beat, stroked her tongue against Therese’s, sliding it inside her mouth, both moving sensually. Their stomachs clenched with desire, feeling the wetness between their legs. This time, Carol’s hands kept moving downwards when they reached the curve of Therese’s ass, cupping it offhandedly, bringing their bodies together.

“We have to eat …” Carol whispered during one of the times they had to break the kiss to take air, finding themselves against the wall.

“Of course,” Therese replied but the food was the last thing in her mind, which she demonstrated with another kiss, her fingertips drawing invisible patterns on Carol’s shoulders. The next time they break apart, she looked at the young woman with intention, hoping to not have read her wrong. “I want to be with you, Carol. If you are ready.” Her heart was beating apprehensively.

Carol didn’t react right away, almost as if her brain had disconnected from reality though inwardly, she was hysterically jumping up and down. However, Therese believed her lack of reaction was a rejection, making her look away from her, lowering her eyes. “No, no, no.” She felt Therese’s body tensing. _Fuck!_ “I mean, yes!” She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Of course I’m ready. Are you not aware of what you cause in me?” She stroked Therese’s cheek once the woman lifted her head, looking at her, still unsure. “You only need to kiss me to make my brain short-circuits.” She smirked. “And after every time it was getting harder and harder to stop and to not take you right there where we were.” Therese shivered at the words full of intent. “In fact, part of me regretted the decision I took the moment I voiced it out though I’m more than sure it was worth it.”

After sharing a slow and sensual kiss that increased the women’s desire, Carol guided Therese through towards the bedroom, giving all the attitude that this place was hers instead of her girlfriend’s.

Therese didn’t miss the decoration this time because there weren’t only bouquets on every furniture ─ the bed was covered with petals. She looked at Carol, who blushed but didn’t hesitate, with a raised eyebrow and a playful smile on her lips. “I swear I wasn’t taking it for granted,” she was quick to explain, shrugging in the end. “But I won’t deny I was hopeful.”

Not saying a word, Therese stood in front of Carol, her eyes gazing her from head to toe before making eye contact. “You are stunning,” she whispered reverently.

“No more than you.”

Therese didn’t have a chance to reply because Carol put her hands on her waist, leaning down to kiss her. This time she didn’t hold back knowing that Therese wanted the same thing. Their kisses were messy and their hands clenched on the clothes underneath as they moved, in their last attempt at self-control.

Until Therese’s fingers found Carol’s bare shoulders once again because this time, they slid towards the young woman’s neck, scratching softly but leaving a gentle mark on its way, as she let out a soft moan. Carol suddenly lost it, her hands eagerly getting rid of Therese’s jacket, which ended up on the floor before they continue with other garments.

In her previous sexual encounters, even when she enjoyed them, Carol always kept her cool, which gave her partners the idea that she wasn’t really into the act as they were. Which wasn’t really far from the truth. She had never been so attracted to someone as she currently was to Therese, which made her behave like an inexperienced horny teenager instead of the young woman that had a fair idea of what to do.

However, Therese didn’t seem to mind.

In her case, she was inexperienced. Her only lover had been less than adequate and in the times they had been intimate, Therese had never actually enjoyed it, making her feel disgusted with herself and resent Richard even more so for making her feel like she was obligated to have sex with him. Once she founded herself attracted to Carol, she had wondered if her displeasure towards sex came because Richard was, in fact, a horrible person or if it was because he was the wrong genre and she found him unpleasant for that simple reason. When Carol and she started to exchange more intimate gestures, Therese confirmed it was the latter though he neither was an ideal partner.

Therese pulled back to look at Carol just as she began to unbutton her blouse, stopping right away when Therese put a distance between them. Carol remained silent at first, the sound of their ragged breathing was the only thing they could hear, trying to read Therese, feeling puzzled when she didn’t see any sign that she had done something wrong or that the woman had changed her mind. “Is everything okay?”

“Absolutely.” Therese smiled, tenderly stroking Carol’s cheek. “I just wanted to see you.”

Carol understood Therese’s comment when the woman hooked her index fingers under the hem of the dress on each arm to lower it. Carol held her breath, trapping her lower lip between her teeth, not looking away from Therese, feeling the fabric of her dress slowly running over her breasts, not missing the moment when her soon to be lover’s pupils dilated when they were exposed.

“You are magnificent, Carol …” Therese let the dress go (the fabric pooling around Carol's waist) to place one hand tentatively on her ribcage, just below her breast while the other was heading directly to cup the other but she stopped at the last moment.

But Carol didn’t give her the chance to hesitate any longer, taking her hand on her own and guiding it to her breast. Therese gasped and Carol moaned when the nipple hardened against Therese’s palm. “You can touch me. You can do whatever you want with me. I want you to.” She leaned down, resting her forehead against Therese’s, who after a few seconds lifted her head to kiss her, her free hand covering the other breast, squeezing them softly.

Carol then resumed the task of stripping Therese, which lingered more than she would have liked because Therese wasn’t really keen to pull her hands away from Carol’s body to facilitate the task. Such thing led to a playful slapping, trying to make the other’s hands move away, making them giggle. Somehow they managed to get away with what both wanted ─ Therese ending up in her underwear and Carol only in her panties when Therese, still using her hands to stroke the velvety skin under her touch, made the dress fall from her legs.

This time it was Carol’s turn to pull away enough to admire Therese’s body. “Wow.” She lifted her arms, tracing the curves with her fingertips. “Breathtaking.”

She claimed Therese’s mouth in the next second, wrapping an arm around the middle of her stomach, pulling their bodies together. As Therese hugged Carol by the neck, the young woman used her other hand to unfasten the woman’s bra, though this time she didn’t move away when she threw the garment out of the way, preferring to stroke her spine from top to bottom, sliding her hand under the panties once they got in the way, lifting Therese in the air just a bit so they could turn around and Carol could take them to the bed.

They chuckled when Carol practically allowed them to fall on the bed, managing not to crush Therese in the process, taking place next to her afterwards, using an arm as support so she could rest part of her body over her girlfriend’s without having to hold all her weight. She placed an extended hand over Therese’s belly at the time her leg hooked around the other woman’s, who was looking down at the hand that was starting to move, trailing a path from her navel up between her breasts.

Feeling Carol’s eyes running over her, admiring her, Therese looked at her direction, feeling the warmth covering her face when she saw the way she was looking at her ─ a mix of tenderness, wonder, and desire. Therese’s breathing ragged when Carol bit her lower lip once she started to fondle one of her breasts but not able to control herself, the young woman lowered her head, making eye contact with Therese to be certain that she counted with her approval.

“Oh, god.” Therese arched her back a little when she felt Carol’s tongue tracing her areola after spending a few seconds peppering kisses over her breasts.

“Just Carol,” she couldn’t help but sass, smiling while nuzzling with her nose on Therese’s nipple when the woman chuckled, chuckle that quickly turned into a moan after another when Carol resumed the flicking of her tongue, this time on the hardened bud.

Therese placed one hand on Carol’s shoulder while the other rested on the back of her head, her fingers threading with soft hair to put a soft pressure to make sure she didn’t go anywhere, this time moaning the young woman’s name as she closed her eyes. Carol would have laughed at the preposterous idea of moving away but when she parted her lips, it was to take Therese’s nipple and part of her breast inside her mouth, using a hand to hold it in place to start sucking.

After what felt just like seconds for Therese, enough to make her feel dizzy, Carol stopped her ministrations, making her open her eyes lazily to find out what happened, in time to see her girlfriend kissing her way towards the other breast but this time she used her hand to caress her way down her belly until her fingertips found the elastic of her panties, toying with it in what it seemed to be a playful manner, especially by the smirk it was sent in her way when their eyes locked but Therese was capable to notice that Carol was trying to look out for something.

And Therese was pretty sure she knew what it was so taking Carol’s hand that was wandering with uncertainty, she guided them both under her underwear, loving the way the grey-blue eyes widened before she looked down at the time Therese pushed her fingers against Carol’s so they touched her sex.

She raised her head enough to whisper in Carol’s ear. “You can touch me. You can do whatever you want with me. I want you to,” she decided to copy Carol’s word because the sentiment was exactly the same.

Carol didn’t need more encouragement after that, her fingers starting to move once Therese removed her hand away, growling at the soaked sensation. “Fuck, Therese …” She used her middle finger to part her folds, running it up and down slowly while with her index and ring finger she rubbed her labia.

Therese bit her lower lip in an attempt to conceal how much she was affected but when Carol started to moan, just by the simple fact of touching her, Therese knew there was no reason to feel ashamed to be vocal about how much she was enjoying it. “Carol … yes, yes.”

Carol latched on to Therese’s neck when the woman threw her head to the side, nibbling at the skin with enthusiasm in what surely would end up in a mark but quickly recovering the common sense, she trailed down to her collarbone where she stopped for a moment, trailing it with her tongue, before continuing with her descent, sucking on the skin where Therese’s breast commence, this time without holding back, knowing a mark would be easy to cover there.

Therese’s hips started to move, almost as if they had a mind on their own because the woman was incapable to function, following the path of Carol’s fingers. One of her hands clenched into the sheet while the other found its way on Carol’s back, her nails digging softly on her skin. In response, Carol moaned before intensifying her suctions, only lifting her head to verify her task was complete, smiling pleased when she saw the red circle.

This time she focused on Therese’s face, quickly falling under the spell that her expressions had on her, not missing a single thing ─ the slight sweat covering her upper lip and temples; her parted lips where a moan after another came out, briefly closing down to swallow, her tongue coming out immediately to moisten her lips to take a deep breath; her eyes nailed on the ceiling as if she was trying to focus in something to control herself before losing the battle and fluttering closed, her pleasure in all its splendor.

When Carol engraved the image in her brain, she moved her fingers to circle Therese’s clit, her eyes widening at the time Therese’s did, a smile overtaking her lips while her girlfriend’s formed a perfect ‘o’ letting out a surprised cry. “So beautiful,” Carol whispered, kissing Therese’s cheek without stop looking at her.

Carol’s fingers slid effortlessly through Therese’s folds, almost without Carol purposefully moving them, until the tip of her fingers pushed against her entrance, the heel of her hand rubbing her clit. But instead of moving forward and going inside, Carol backed up, drawing circles over the nub with her middle finger, slowly and steady, the rhythm eventually increasing, sliding her fingers down once again when Therese was uncontrollably trembling, tottering over the edge, ready and more than willing to jump, only to be momentarily frustrated when Carol stopped. However, she was soon rewarded when this time Carol gently pushed inside her pussy with two fingers.

“Oh, Carol …” Therese closed her eyes, smiling with pleasure.

“You like it?” The question wasn’t even necessary because it was beyond clear but she wanted to keep hearing the woman talking.

“Yes, it feels so good …” She managed to gulp between her uneven breathing. “You make me feel so good.” When she felt Carol’s fingers retreating to exit, she clenched the muscles on her pussy as she opened her eyes, making Carol hiss. “No, please, I need-”

“What do you need, baby? Tell me.” She saw Therese’s shyness when the woman turned her head in her direction to look at her.

Therese opened her mouth a few times, trying to speak but the bashfulness stopped her from saying something. Carol didn’t push, giving Therese time by kissing her face, her neck and part of her chest, resuming the movement with her fingers, thrusting softly. “I don’t want to stop feeling you,” she finally said, the sensation oddly giving her courage.

“You won’t.” She kissed Therese’s lips, trapping her lower lip for a moment. “I’m going to spend all day making love to you.” She rested her forehead against her girlfriend’s. “All our lives if you allow me.”

Therese gasped, unsure if it was due to Carol’s words or to the curling of the fingers inside her, and there was no way she was going to ponder about it at that moment, while her girlfriend’s fingers pushed with more intention. When Carol moved her face even closer to hers, their breathing becoming one, Therese was incapable to tear her gaze away from her, finding the blue-grey eyes like an aphrodisiac because they held Carol’s desire and pleasure unreservedly.

“You are a breathtaking sight,” Carol confessed in awe, her eyes momentarily leaving Therese’s to roam her body. “The way you feel, the way you move, the way you look … and knowing I’m the reason for it … god, Therese, you have no idea what it’s doing to me.”

Therese wanted more than anything to know, to lower her hand and touch the physical evidence but she wanted to be entirely dedicated to Carol when it was her turn and right now she was too deep into her own pleasure to do something more beyond holding Carol’s face to pull her into an urgent kiss that was interrupted by herself to whisper against her girlfriend’s lips. “Make me come, Carol …”

Not missing a beat, Carol intensified the speed of her fingers, pulling out until only the tips were inside to push them back all the way in, still making contact with Therese’s clit with the heel of her hand and wrist. The women maintained eye contact all the time, Therese no longer feeling shy to conceal the effect Carol was having on her and Carol simply couldn’t miss a thing, wanting to learn everything about Therese.

She noticed that Therese’s eyebrows furrowed in what it seemed a painful gesture when her body tensed, which perhaps would have worried Carol if it wasn’t for the imperceptible smile that played at her lips; how she nibbled at her lower lip in one last attempt to control herself a little longer; how her body started to tremble and her eyes shined when she finally caved into the sensations, holding her breath as her back arched away from the bed, her inner muscles trapping Carol’s fingers so tight that she was afraid to hurt Therese when she kept moving her hand, though her movements were slowing.

Carol had never been so fascinated with something, much less someone. It would have been scary if it wasn’t for the fact that Therese (panting) was looking back at her with the same adoration.

The young woman rested her chin on Therese’s shoulder, her fingers coming to a halt, trailing them up, smearing the woman’s fluids on her belly which caused her to frown in the next second, scolding herself at the realization that she had wasted a chance to taste her though she knew she was going to search for the opportunity sooner rather than later. To her wandering hand that continued moving forward, her lips joined, tenderly kissing the sweated skin as Therese’s chest kept rising and falling with agitation.

“All our lives, huh?” Therese was the first one to break the silence once she calmed down, unable to ignore the words.

Carol gazed up to look at Therese’s face, stopping her hand, which she was using to stroke the woman’s arm. She took a moment to answer, wanting to read Therese’s reaction. “I know it’s very early to talk about something like that … but you know this is not a fling for me.”

Therese turned to her side, facing Carol and lifting an arm to stroke her cheek. “I know it’s not. For me neither.” They couldn’t know what would happen but right then, they were pretty sure about a future together.

“Good.” Carol threw an arm over Therese’s belly, placing her hand on the mattress to shift her body so she could be on all fours on top of her. “Now, I recall saying something about spending all day making love to you.” She straightened up, her fingertips tapping the woman’s thighs as if she was playing the piano. “So I’m going to go back to that.” She smirked, slowly pulling Therese’s panties down her legs.

“What about y-?” She trailed off when she saw Carol doing the same with her underwear after getting rid of hers, her gaze falling between the young woman’s legs, immediately feeling the desire washing her over that made her reach over, holding on to Carol’s hips to pull her down, wrapping her limbs around her so she couldn’t escape, writhing her body slowly, peppering kissing on Carol’s neck to then nibble her jaw.

“Therese …” Carol had been doing a pretty good job at being in charge, but feeling Therese’s naked body against her, sensually moving, was too much for her and she could do nothing but surrender to the sensation of her girlfriend’s body rubbing against hers. Carol was trying to keep a minimum distance between their upper bodies so their nipples flicked together with every movement but when Therese managed to get their clits in contact, Carol dropped her weight on her, her head next to the woman’s. “Oh, fuck!” She slipped her arms under Therese’s body, hands finding their way on her ass, finally moving too, turning the provocative and slow dance that Therese had been creating alone into something desperate.

A fleeting smile appeared in Therese’s lips despite all the moaning she was doing against Carol’s ear, which boosted her to redouble her efforts, her hands sliding to her girlfriend’s back, synchronizing her body to the rhythm Carol was marking, happy to have the same power she held over her.

Therese had never imagined life could be so pleasing and joyful, and if Carol was her compensation for putting up with Richard for so long, then she would never complain about him any longer, having no doubt that she wouldn’t hesitate to do it all over again if in the end, it took her to join her life with Carol’s.


	13. Chapter 13

Harge was founding himself intrigued by Therese Belivet.

Since the moment the woman stood her ground after his negative, it had ignited something inside him, going from the meek attitude from where he had categorized her to someone that was worthy of his attention. He did believe Therese was a beautiful woman from the very first moment he saw her, like a kitten that inspired tenderness; but after that encounter, he started to see her in a new light.

However, it was Carol’s reaction to the teacher that made Harge’s interest grow.

His daughter was, without doubt, a dedicated student, someone who in his eyes enjoyed what she did but she wasn’t the kind of person that got involved with the professors like some other students did, in an attempt to resolve doubts, to be better at what they did or even trying to sweet-talk their way into better grades. Harge saw it as a benefit because it meant that Carol was capable to climb the mountain on her own.

With Therese, that changed.

It wasn’t like Carol couldn’t stop talking about her but whenever Harge mentioned her (during their dinner conversations where he talked about things that happened in the University, mentioning some students and teachers) he could notice Carol paying more attention to the point she momentarily stopped eating to look at her father. Also, he was aware that she was pretty involved with the woman’s classes.

Harge found adorable that his daughter had met someone that she was seeing like some sort of mentor.

He had never been interested in a woman since his wife. Much less interested in replacing her once she passed away. Carol was the only one that matter to him but perhaps it was time he gave himself another opportunity to met someone, and if he was lucky, develop a romantic relationship.

Especially now that it seemed Carol would be agreeable to the idea and accept the person he was interested in without a problem.

* * *

Therese and Carol were resting in the living room ─ the teacher sitting on one end of the couch, her laptop placed on the armrest so she could work on it and Carol lying down on the couch, her head on Therese’s lap, who was running the fingers of her free hand through her hair, making her sleepy, which was a bad thing because Carol was reading things related to college because tests from some subjects were coming up.

“As much as I hate it, I have to ask you to stop … I’m close to falling asleep if you keep going.” Carol’s eyelids were semi-closed and she was dragging the words.

Therese chuckled, turning her head to look down at her girlfriend. “It’s actually your fault. You know how hard it is for me to keep my hands away from you if you are close.”

Carol gazed up from her spot to look at Therese with a smirk. “I love how brazen you have become after our first time.” Following that time, the next times they had sex, Carol prompted her to talk so she felt more confident after each occasion.

Therese rolled her eyes, feeling the blush appearing in her face. “However, I can’t get rid of all the blushing you are able to cause.”

Carol rolled a bit to her side, lowering her legs from the couch to sit up, sliding towards Therese to kiss a path from her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “That makes you adorable and sexy at the same time.” Therese snorted and opened her mouth to deny Carol’s comment but the young woman stopped from doing it by kissing her. “I said what I said and you won’t be able to change my mind.”

As if to prove her point that she wasn’t interested in Therese’s refusal of the compliment, Carol moved to the other end of the couch, going back to her book, pretending to ignore the other woman’s presence.

Therese followed her with her eyes all the time, an amused smile playing at her lips but not wanting to distract her any longer, she also went back to what she should be doing. Therese was capable to focus enough to finish some work that she had allowed to pill up in order to spend time with Carol but after a while, a subject that had been swirling in her mind recovered her focus.

She had been looking out information about lesbian sex, wanting to know more about how she could please her girlfriend and not because she had gotten some sort of complaint but Therese had noticed that Carol mainly focused on her, and when it was her turn, Carol preferred a mutual thing instead of switching places and turning the moment exclusively hers.

Therese wasn’t hurt or offended but she did wonder if it had to do with her inexperience and the fact that Carol didn’t want to put some sort of pressure on her, especially because she had told her about how it had been with Richard.

“Carol?” She finally dared to speak although she did it in a whisper, as if she was hoping not to be heard.

“Mmm?” She didn’t turn around to look at Therese but she stopped reading, using the tip of her finger to remember where she was.

It took Therese a moment to continue. No matter how brazen she had become according to Carol, there still were some things that weren’t easy to say and this was one of those. “You enjoy our sex life, right?” How she wished her hair was longer because she could use it as a curtain to hide behind it, knowing that she was red as a tomato.

Carol almost whiplash when she turned her head to look at Therese, dropping the book. “Wha-?” She frowned. “Of course I do! What makes you think I don’t?”

“No, it’s not that.” She turned her body so they could make eye contact, moving forward to take Carol’s hands in hers. “I have been just wondering … why don’t you let me do things to you?”

Carol looked a little bit surprised. “I- I wasn’t entirely sure if you wanted that and I didn’t want to make you feel like you _had_ to.”

Therese smiled, placing one hand on Carol’s cheek, stroking tenderly. “You are so very different from him. _We_ are so very different from what he and I had.” She moved closer to the young woman, placing the hand she was still holding on her lap. “I enjoy your presence, Carol, which is something I can hardly say about his.” Carol snorted and Therese chuckled. “And when it comes to the physical aspect? I think you have more than clear how different you are from him.”

“Oh, yeah.” She grinned like the Cheshire cat. “But I was waiting for you to be ready.”

“I was ready since the first time we were together.” She moved her hand so she could thumb Carol’s lower lip. “I had never felt what you make me feel … the need to touch someone, to kiss someone.” She lowered her hand to the woman’s neck so she could rest the side of her face against Carol’s, her lips close to her ear. “To taste someone … from head to toe.”

Carol closed her eyes, a tremble running down her spine. She sighed deeply, licking her lips and moving to look at Therese. “Once I told you you could do whatever you want to me. That hasn’t changed.”

The ball was in Therese’s court and for the conversation they were having, the last thing Carol expected was for her to stand up, a thing that puzzled her until a hand was offered for her to take. Without a doubt, Carol took it, standing up even before the soft tug came and willingly following Therese as she headed to the stairs.

Once in the bedroom, Carol waited for Therese to make the first move, deciding to not intervene when the woman began to undress her, smiling when Therese demonstrated the part of ‘from head to toe’ by kissing and from time to time licking the skin that was exposed to her.

Only until she was left in her underwear, Carol moved her arms, waiting for her girlfriend’s approval to remove her clothes, leaving her in the same state of undress she was.

Therese cupped Carol’s face with both hands afterwards, licking her own lips before pressing them against the young woman’s, who held on to Therese’s hips, pulling their bodies together. However, instead of being guided towards the bed as Carol expected, Therese backed her against the vanity so she could sit on the edge without stop kissing her, only moving away from Carol’s lips to kiss her jaw and down her neck, placing her hands on the woman’s thighs, stroking them for a moment at their sides before they slid to the back, helping Carol to hop on the furniture, not caring that some of the things there fell on the floor.

Carol rested her back on the mirror behind her carefully.

She was trying to remain lucid but she was feeling intoxicated with desire because this was so very close to a fantasy she couldn’t stop thinking about whenever she saw Therese on or close to the desk in college. The possible idea that they shared it was a massive turn on. “Is this some sort of … fantasy?”

Therese’s blush was all the answer Carol needed, revealing it when she pulled back to look at Carol. “Is there a problem with it?” She was trying to sound challenging but the doubtful tone made her sound adorable.

“God, no. I share it.” She wrapped her legs around Therese’s waist, smirking. “Though you are in my place and we are in a different location.”

“Yes, well.” Her hands were again on Carol’s thighs, moving up and down. “It’s not like we can actually do it there. And don’t even contemplate it!” She added when Carol tilted her head, looking pensive.

The young woman threw her head back, laughing. “Fine.”

Therese pulled out the stool to sit on, her hands sidetracked to the inner of Carol’s thighs, feeling the muscles tensing under her touch. “You are exquisite.” She leaned down to kiss Carol’s knee, askance noticing Carol smiling in a sheepish way.

Carol was expecting Therese to reach for her panties at some point and take them off but the woman, who believed that would make her waste time that she could spend kissing Carol’s inner thighs like she was doing, got closer to Carol’s sex, not considering the garment like an obstacle, stroking her slit with the tip of her nose over the fabric, ending with a kiss on her clit.

Carol jolted in response, a soft moan coming out of her lips, her heartbeat pounding against her chest when Therese lifted her head to make eye contact with her, one hand finally reaching for her panties but not in the way Carol expected because she simply decided to move them to the side.

Therese looked down once Carol’s pussy was exposed, her eyes widening when she saw how wet Carol was, a strand of fluids going from Carol’s entrance to the fabric she had pushed aside. Therese broke it using her tongue, taking a moment to taste the flavor.

Carol was already breathing heavily, her pussy throbbing wantonly.

It was a sexy image and now she could understand why Therese liked to watch her when she was eating her out. From there, she could see perfectly the way the woman’s pupils dilated after the first taste, turning into a huntress as she licked her lips, with only one goal in her mind. “Fuc-” Any attempt to voice her opinion vanished from her mind when Therese finally pressed her tongue against her pussy, licking Carol’s labia before it slipped between the folds.

There was a sound loud enough to make anyone startle when Carol violently moved her arms as she shifted her position, hitting some objects to place her hands on the furniture to have a better balance but they didn’t flinch in the least.

Therese’s hands were again caressing Carol’s legs but before she could guide them to her shoulders, her girlfriend, already in sync, placed them on her own as she slid forward the edge of the vanity which gave Therese perfect access. Not wasting the opportunity, Therese licked her way down to Carol’s entrance, pushing with her tongue, drawing circles when the tip slipped inside.

Carol smacked her head against the mirror behind her when she threw it back, closing her eyes as she placed one hand on Therese’s head, her fingers tangling with the dark locks. “God, Therese …” She softly bucked towards her girlfriend’s face when she felt Therese’s tongue sliding even more.

Therese used Carol’s moans as a guide ─ she pulled out her tongue when she noticed that they remained in a certain level, not rising or falling in intensity as she penetrated her, zigzagging her way through Carol’s folds to her clit, licking around it, flicking it in senseless patterns, never actually giving it the deserved attention so the other woman could explode; slowing down her caresses when Carol writhed in pleasure, her body tensing and speeding up once she calmed down, relaxing every muscle.

“Please …” Carol finally begged, breathing heavily, her entire body covered in sweat, her clit throbbing painfully. After being taken towards the edge several times only to be pulled back, she couldn’t take it anymore. “Therese, please … I need to …”

Therese wasn’t really looking out to torture Carol so the moment those words were uttered, she covered the nub with her mouth, pressing it with her tongue before trapping it to start sucking, keeping a soft pressure with her lips.

Carol crossed her ankles behind Therese’s back, both hands finding their way through her hair, making sure she wouldn’t pull away at the time she recklessly thrusted her hips against Therese’s mouth, who with her arms hooked on Carol’s legs, was using her hands to put a slight resistance to her movements to avoid an accident.

It was an explosion of sensations for both women.

Carol’s body was trembling uncontrollably even before she lost the battle, entirely overwhelmed, never having experienced something like this, where her lover was entirely dedicated to giving her pleasure instead of searching for theirs. Therese was intoxicated by being the reason for Carol’s loss of control, but mostly by the way the young woman felt and looked, muscles tensing around her when Carol arched her back, eyes widening as she screamed Therese’s name, fluids soaking her chin. She used her fingers to gather them so they didn’t go wasted since she was still using her mouth to stimulate Carol’s clit, this time with tender flicks until she stopped trembling, then she finally moved down to lick her clean.

“Are you sure you are inexperienced?” Carol managed to say between short breaths once Therese was done and rested her head against her leg. Because that had been beyond fantastic.

“I’ve been reading.” Therese dared to admit after a few seconds in silence, moving her face towards Carol’s skin as if she was hiding.

“Have you?” Carol smiled but it wasn’t in a mocking way but tender, touched to have such a thoughtful girlfriend.

Therese nodded, feeling more confident when Carol didn’t laugh at her. “And there’s actually another thing I’m interested in.”

“What is it?” She brushed Therese’s hair with her fingers, trying to comb it after disheveling it.

“It’s- uhm.” She blushed but she managed to keep her eyes on Carol. “There’satoyinvolved.” She mumbled.

Carol narrowed her eyes, repeating what Therese said in her mind, trying to separate the words. “You said ‘a toy’?” The woman nodded against her leg. “What kind of toy?” she wondered with interest.

“Are you agreeable to the idea?” she doubted.

“Why wouldn’t I? I admit I’ve never done it before but I’m not against it.” She sat straight, uncrossing her legs so her girlfriend could be free to move.

Therese stood up after re-adjusting the woman’s underwear, making her jump a little when she brushed her sex with her fingers, and when Carol wrapped her arms around her neck, she moved forward to kiss her, whispering against her lips afterwards. “In that case, why don’t I show you instead?” She still felt shy but Carol always injected her with a strange case of courage.

She helped Carol to get down from the vanity and when Therese turned around, holding one of Carol’s hands, the young woman stopped walking for a moment, pulling Therese back to her so her back collided with her front, using her free arm to hug her by the waist, resting her chin on her shoulder.

Therese turned her head, smiling, to press a kiss on her cheek expecting to be released afterwards but she tilted her head with confusion when it didn’t happen. It made sense when she felt Carol’s hands on her hips, pulling her panties down. Therese closed her eyes when she felt Carol’s nose nuzzling her neck before being replaced by her lips, her underwear falling on its own once it passed her mid-thighs.

She turned around when Carol unclipped her bra, not giving her the chance to remove it until they were face to face, mirroring Carol’s actions so they stood completely naked. Momentarily, Therese forgot what she wanted to do, hands and lips eager to pay attention to the body in front of her so she licked, nibbled, suck from Carol’s neck to her breasts at the time her hands squeezing eagerly from her hips down, one of her hands finding its way in-between her legs, finding her wet and warm, neither paying much attention that surely Carol would end up with a few hickeys.

Only when Therese finally guided Carol to the bed, ready to pounce on her, seeing her displayed on the middle of the mattress supporting herself on her elbows, her closed legs slightly to the side, her bluish-gray eyes filled with desire, it was that she recalled her plans so she hurried to the closet, confusing Carol for a second until she saw her ducking to rummage through the stuff there was on the floor to pull out a box. Quickly going back, Therese got on the bed on her knees, close to Carol’s legs, who sat down, enthusiastic to see what Therese was holding.

“You went to buy this?” She pouted at the missing opportunity of doing this with Therese.

“No. I bought it online. I don’t think I would have been capable to go to the store and spend a few minutes there until I find something that interested me,” she explained, feeling the blush running all over her face. Therese frowned, suddenly thinking this was stupid because they were wasting time she could use to be making love to her girlfriend already instead of talking. She was about to throw the box to the floor to focus on what was really important when Carol reached for it.

“And … what’s the plan, you want to use it on me or you want me to use it on you?” She gazed up from the box to look at Therese, biting her lower lip with desire at the two possible outcomes. As she waited for the answer, she started to open the box.

Therese took a deep breath, watching Carol’s hands moving. “I want to … use it on you first,” she husked.

Carol closed her eyes, letting out a soft moan. “Wonderful.”

The young woman hurried to pull the strapon out of the box and between laughs, and after a few minutes, the women managed to put the harness on its place. There was a moment of silence afterwards in which both looked down, contemplating the extra item Therese was now wearing. “I feel ridiculous,” Therese dared to say, knowing that the heat she was feeling had nothing to do with arousal but with embarrassment.

However, when she looked at Carol, every sensation of self-consciousness disappeared in an instant since her girlfriend was practically devouring her with her eyes. Her lips were slightly parted, breathing heavily through her mouth. “Therese … fuck me, please.”

Therese moved instinctively, placing her arms next to each side of Carol as she laid down back on the bed, spreading her legs, holding on to Therese’s forearms. Carol was mesmerized with Therese’s face; feeling her heart full with tenderness at the concentrated expression she was wearing and her body burning with the increased desire that the fact that Therese was holding herself back provoked.

But when the woman stopped resting on her right arm to take the dildo in her hand, holding it steady to brush the tip against Carol’s folds, from her entrance to her clit, she looked down, raising her hips to facilitate the motion when Therese pushed to slip inside.

Carol’s eyes moved back to Therese’s face, who was looking at her, not wanting to miss any kind of signal. “It’s this okay?” she asked after a moment when she started to slowly move.

“Ohhh.” Briefly, she closed her eyes before chuckling. “It’s more than okay.” She wrapped her legs around Therese’s body, cupping her girlfriend’s face, lifting her head from the pillow to kiss her. “It’s perfect,” she whispered and then kissed her, sliding her tongue inside her mouth, reciprocating the settled pace.

* * *

Therese was the last one to leave the Teachers Room. Something out of the ordinary since she and Carol got together but this time it was something impossible to avoid when the person she could easily call her best friend was celebrating his birthday.

Their coworkers were quick to plan a small surprise party after the working hours and just as quick to leave when everything was over. Dannie told her (hoping to make her leave with him, feeling a little bit guilty because he couldn’t stay because he had a date) that she didn’t need to stay to clean when the cleaning staff could deal with it but Therese believed it was unfair to make them deal with extra work for their whims.

That’s how Harge found her ─ gathering the things they had been using and throwing them in the paper bin in an attempt to make the place less messy. “Miss Belivet.” He revealed his presence after a few seconds watching her.

Therese startled, turning around, dropping the plastic cups she was holding with both hands. “Mr. Aird, I didn’t know there still was someone in the building.” Her body immediately tensed, her walls up. She no longer felt intimidated but she was in front of her boss, who was also the father of her girlfriend and since her feelings for Carol were only growing, she believed anybody would be able to see it with only one look.

Harge hurried to help her, dropping on one knee before she had the chance to crouch to pick up the cups. “I apologize for taking you aback.” He stood up with the cups in his hand, moving to throw it to the garbage. “I normally stay late working and I’m usually the last one to leave.”

“We had a little party for Dannie’s birthday.” She cringed, believing that revealing that information to the director wasn’t a great idea.

Noticing, Harge chuckled. “It’s okay. As long as it doesn’t mess up with your responsibilities, you can do it.”

Therese nodded. “And I stayed longer because I wanted to give the cleaning staff a little less work to do.” She smiled shyly.

Harge found it charming. A beautiful woman who cared for others was like a treasure. “I’m sure they are going to appreciate it.”

“I’m just doing what a decent person would do, Mr. Aird.” She went back to her task, surprised when Harge joined her.

“You would probably be surprised about that. I mean, you were alone for a reason.” He tried to joke, not seeing Therese frown. “And please, call me Harge.” He smiled, expecting the same courtesy.

However, Therese forced a smile, feeling uncomfortable. “You really don’t have to do this though I appreciate it. I’m almost done and you surely have more important things to do.” She somehow managed to sound polite instead of desperate to get rid of him.

Harge pondered about it, believing that it wouldn’t look go on him if he left but Therese was actually right. He had to go home and spend time with Carol whenever he could, not having a clue that there was a note waiting for him where she lied about having to finish a project and saying she was going to spend the night with Abby. “Are you sure? I would love to spend some time with my daughter but I can stay a little longer if you need me.” He used his card as a father, imagining women loved it.

Therese rolled her eyes inwardly. “Of course. Go with her. Don’t worry about me. As I said, I’m almost done.”

Harge nodded, somehow puzzled, walking to get out of the room when he suddenly felt a wave of recklessness. “There’s something I want to tell you before I go.” He stopped in the door’s frame, sideways, placing a hand on it. He waited until Therese looked at him to continue. “I would like to take you to dinner this Friday. There’s a new restaurant that I’m sure you will like.”

Therese’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open with shock, which Harge misunderstood like a positive reaction for some asinine reason, totally believing the woman was flattered by the invitation though surprised, not even contemplating the possibility that she wasn’t interested in him at all and her heart was beating with apprehension as she watched him go without giving her the opportunity to say something about it.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, I’m SO sorry for not updating the usual day. I moved to a new house and this week was so tiresome, precisely this Wednesday I spent all the day painting and I finished until 3 AM. Yesterday was the day to pack and brought things to spend the first day in the new house and I sincerely didn’t have the mood/mind to check the chapter to update. But I’m here now, and don’t worry, I’ll keep Wednesday as the updating date.
> 
> To the people sending concerned messages that I wasn’t able to answer: Thank you so much for looking out for me 🥺❤️

“He fucking what?!”

Therese knew that Carol’s reaction was going to be explosive but not even for a second she thought it was better to hide this from her. “He-”

“I know what he did!” Carol interrupted her girlfriend, not wanting to hear it again.

She had been waiting for Therese in her apartment, thing that had become a routine for them. The moment Therese opened the door, Carol knew something was amiss because her girlfriend was pale and shocked that the young woman felt her heart stopping for a moment, thinking the worst.

Carol’s first thought that whatever happened was related to Therese’s ex and she was more than ready to do what she had wanted to do since the day she saw his stupidly annoying smile. But when Therese was able to react, Carol’s concern reaching her through the shocked fog she was under, and explained what had happened, Carol _wished_ it had been related to Richard because in that way she could have done something directly to the source instead of ranting frustrated and in a bad mood with her girlfriend.

“I could kill him!” She stopped pacing through the living room.

“I highly recommend you not doing that.” Therese scrunched up her nose at the lame attempt to lighten the situation.

“It’s just that … how dare he?!” She threw her arms in the air.

Therese pondered for a moment, nibbling her lower lip with apprehension. “Are you upset because your father is showing interest in a woman or because he’s showing interest in me?”

Carol looked at her, her angry frown turning into a concerned one. “I couldn’t care less if he shows interest in a woman but when he’s interested in _my_ girlfriend? Of course, I’m going to be upset about it.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I mean, I don’t blame him at all but … fucking hell.”

“You know I’m going to decline the invitation, right?” she clarified, hoping to calm Carol. She would have done it if Harge would have given her the opportunity and stayed the necessary time for her to get out of her shocked state.

Carol didn’t answer right away, walking towards the couch to sit next to Therese and when she spoke, what she said was something the woman never expected. “I’m not entirely sure that would be the best option.”

Therese wasn’t sure how many times she could be shocked in one day. “What?”

Carol took a deep breath. “I told you how my father likes to control my life but it’s not only with me. He likes things in a certain way and he manages to manipulate them so it happens what he wants.” Her eyes were locked in the coffee table in front of them. “If you say no, I’m sure he would take it as a challenge and he would insist.” She turned her body, bending one leg over the couch to sit on it, reaching for Therese’s hands. “I don’t want you to deal with that because I know how overbearing my father can be ─ he’s a man raised under patriarchy so he doesn’t see his wrongful ways. You could go to the Board and accuse him of harassment, which he surely deserves but-”

“I won’t ever do that,” Therese interrupted her. “Maybe your father deserves it but not you, and believe me, people would drag you into the mud without a second thought.”

Carol nodded, smiling somewhat sadly. “Then the only option would be you going so he gets you out of his system and realizes you are not the right woman for him.”

Therese looked at Carol with concern. “And would you be okay with that?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, it’s so weird to think my girlfriend will have a date with my father.” She wrinkled her nose. “But I mostly worry for you because I know you won’t have the greatest time.” She was sure that not even her mother could consider him a funny and entertaining man.

Freeing one of her hands, she scooted closer to Carol, stroking her cheek tenderly. “It’s not a date. I only have those with my girlfriend.” She smiled when the young woman did it, closing her eyes as if she was savoring the words. “If it’s enough for him to leave me alone.” She shook her head. “I don’t even know why he’s interested in me.”

Carol raised an eyebrow, incredulous. “As I said, I can.” She suddenly frowned. “But what confused me is what changed his opinion because he didn’t have the greatest opinion about you at first.”

Therese raised both eyebrows. “Really, and which was it?”

Carol rolled her eyes. “You most likely already have a correct idea about it.” She rested her back on the corner of the back of the couch and the armrest, patting her chest so Therese went to her. Once the woman settled, Carol wrapped one arm around her, using her other hand to brush the dark hair. “I was personally offended when he didn’t believe you were competent for the job, saying that you were like an abandoned puppy who has no idea how to deal with the world.” Therese huffed indignantly, making Carol chuckle. “I defended you since the very first moment.” She pressed a kiss on Therese’s forehead.

“Did you?” Therese lifted her head to see Carol nodding. “My knight in shining armor.” She kissed the woman’s chin, watching her roll her eyes but she knew that Carol liked the compliment because afterwards she smiled softly before searching for her lips in a tender kiss, both women forgetting about the forthcoming situation that would be quite the challenge for them.

* * *

Watching Therese getting ready for a date with none other than her father was torture for Carol.

All week, Carol avoided Harge, using the house’s staff to tell him she was already in bed or that she went to college early to make it more credible, knowing she wouldn’t be able to look at him and not react in some way. However, Carol had been capable to catch a sight of him sometimes and the annoying part was that he seemed cheerful, something unusual, and Carol knew the stupid date was the reason because she had never seen him like that.

Therese was a completely different case ─ the closer the day was, she got more uneasy. Many times, Carol had been tempted to tell her to cancel everything because she couldn’t stand to put her girlfriend in such position even when she believed this was the best way to get out of this situation once and for all, and she had dared to voice it one day, only to be surprised when Therese rejected the idea, supporting Carol’s belief that this would close the door and Harge wouldn’t be interested in her anymore, leaving her alone.

On the dreadful day for both of them, Carol was sitting on Therese’s bed, watching her girlfriend getting dressed, finding amusing that Therese wasn’t putting much effort to look good (she was going to wear black dress pants and a white blouse). In Carol’s opinion, _she did_ , because for her, the woman always looked good, but she could tell that it wasn’t really what Therese was trying to do, dressing as if she was going to join her friends at a bar and definitely not to where Harge was going to take her.

Early that day, Harge, who now clearly knew Therese’s schedule, went to look out for her during her first break time, to arrange the remaining details for their date, hoping to obtain her address to pick her up after telling her at what time. Finding her laughing with Dannie, made him frown, not expecting her to be friends with a person like him. He had never liked him ─ Dannie was a person who was unapologetically him and he was everything Harge disliked and as much as he wished to fire him, he couldn’t do it without a reason when the Board asked and Harge didn’t have one because Dannie was good at teaching.

Therese’s laugh vanished in an instant when she saw Harge. However, she stood up, going to him, who explained why he was there. The woman nodded but she surprised him when she asked where they were going and that she would prefer if they met there. Harge tried not to take it personally, believing Therese was like most women who considered themselves feminists because it was the trend. Carol was the same so it was surely one of the reasons why she looked up to her.

When Harge left (glaring at Dannie one last time), Therese went back to his friend, ignoring the questioning look that was sent to her direction. She didn’t see any point in telling him about it, especially because it was the last thing she wanted to talk about, so she lied to him, using work as an excuse. Once she was out of this mess, she would tell him everything because she sincerely could use the laugh when it was all over.

“All right.” Therese pulled Carol out of her thoughts. “I think I’m ready.” She wouldn’t even bother to re-apply her makeup.

Carol kneeled on the bed, moving to the edge of the bed, to where Therese walked once she saw what she did. “I know it’s not your intention but you look beautiful.” When she noticed Therese’s worry, Carol continued. “But you are always beautiful to me, so …” She shrugged.

Therese smiled a little, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and disappear quickly. “I’m so ready for this to be over.”

“Believe me, me too.” Carol rested her forehead against Therese’s, hugging her by the waist. “I’m sorry you have to go through this.”

Therese placed her hand on Carol’s forearms, squeezing softly. “It’s not your fault.”

“Technically it is. I gave you the idea.” She grimaced. Perhaps she should have taken the time to think about a different outcome.

“You are not forcing me to do anything. And you know I think your idea makes sense.” She only needed to show Harge that she wasn’t who he believed she was to make him lose the interest. Easy peasy. “Are you going to stay?”

“No. I don’t think I’ll be able to stay still. I’m going to head out with Abby and Gen.” They had no idea what was happening that day but Carol felt like crawling on the walls so she surely was going to vent with them. “Text me once you’re out to come though? I want to know how it went.”

Therese nodded, pulling back to look at Carol, who looked like someone had kicked her inexistent puppy. She placed one hand on the young woman’s cheek, trying to reassure her in some way but when she parted her lips, her heart started to pound unexpectedly.

It wasn’t the first time she had this reaction, normally experiencing it when Carol was peacefully sleeping on her arms and Therese’s heart was ready to burst with the feelings she had for her. She didn’t need to be a genius to realize she was in love with Carol. The three words that usually conveyed the sentiment had been desperate to come out of her mouth, though for some reason, Therese bite them down and this moment was definitely not the best to confess her feelings for Carol.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” she finally whispered, resting her other hand on the other cheek to pull Carol towards her and kiss her, hoping to show in that action what she couldn’t yet voice out.

* * *

Abby almost spit out the beer she had given a sip seconds ago when she listened Carol’s rambling and the reason because of it. It had been slightly unexpected to receive her call, asking to know if they were free and if she could join them. Genevieve and she had plans, but they didn’t doubt to cancel them once they recognized the tension in their friend’s voice. While they were waiting for Carol’s arrival, they were throwing assumptions about what could have happened, and they both believed the couple had had their first fight.

After finding out the truth, they could claimed with certainty that Carol surely _wished_ she had fought with Therese instead of what was happening.

“Hold the fuck up.” Carol stopped her pacing to look at her, focusing the deadly look she was carrying on her. It made Abby shrink, as if she was the cause of all the drama. “Therese went out with your father?!” She hadn’t mean it but there was a tinge of amusement in her voice, which didn’t go unnoticed by the other two women.

“Abby …” Genevieve was the one who tried to intervene, noticing the tense atmosphere and how Carol’s frown deepened.

“That’s what I said,” Carol said between gritted teeth.

“How in the fuck that happened?!” She couldn’t help but ask, which made Carol fume even more because she had just explained everything to them.

Carol closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, giving the impression she was trying to calm down but in reality she was deciding to retaliate. Since she found about what her father did, she had wanted to get even with someone. “Are you even paying attention?!” Her friends flinched due to her raised voice but she couldn’t care less. “Why do I even bother to come, believing that my friend is going to be supportive when for you it’s just something you can laugh about?!”

Genevieve closed her eyes, sighing deeply and rubbing her forehead with one hand knowing what was coming when Abby stood up defensively from the couch. “Hey! Just because you are having a bad time doesn’t give you the right to act like a bitch.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for believing the best place for me to come for comfort was here, when in reality I’m the burden that has to put up her life on hold whenever you have the slightest inconvenience!”

“Are you calling me a bad friend?” Abby narrowed her eyes into a glare.

“If the shoe fits,” Carol counterattacked without thinking.

“Then leave!” She signaled towards the door. “If I’m such a bad friend what are you even doing here?!”

There was a strained silence where Abby and Carol glared at each other, Genevieve’s eyes looking from one to another as if she was watching one of Carol’s matches, knowing that it was better not to intervene once they reached this point. They were so alike that from time to time it was impossible to avoid their collision. Whenever it happened, Genevieve let the river flow, knowing it was better to separate them so they could calm down and she could get some sense into one of them first so they could make amends on their own.

Carol was the first one to blink, turning around to head towards the door. This time the couple was expecting the slam since their eyes never move away from their friend so they didn’t jump when it happened.

Abby was the first one to break the silence with a growl as she sat on the edge of the couch, placing her elbows on her knees, covering her face with her hands. “She’s infuriating!”

“Babe …”

“Don’t tell me she’s right!” she complained, almost offended, looking at Genevieve.

“This is not about who’s right. Of course she’s not right in taking you like her punching bag but you didn’t have to bite the bait.” She had been sitting on the floor, in front of the couch where Abby was so she turned her body, placing one hand on her girlfriend’s knee. “She’s going through a bad time and the last thing she needed was her best friend acting like an idiot who couldn’t retain what she was saying.”

Abby frowned but there was a trace of concern in her eyes. “I was just shocked, that’s all.”

“I know. But the last thing Carol wants is to repeat something that’s driving her crazy. At this moment, that’s the only thing in her head and it’s not helpful.” Abby pouted but she was still frowning. “And I’m not blaming you, I get it. The situation’s unbelievable that you need to hear it several times to actually comprehend it, but again: that’s not what Carol needs. She needs the support of her friends and ranting against her father along with her.”

“I’m always on her side. I’m even ranting against her father when she doesn’t because he’s a homophobic prick.” She sighed, closing her eyes at the time she rested her back on the backrest.

Genevieve chuckled. “Go talk to her then. She needs her best friend.” Her girlfriend looked at her questioningly. “I’ll join you guys afterwards. You two need to talk alone first.” Abby nodded with determination. After kissing Genevieve’s head, she stood up to head towards the front door.

Genevieve followed her girlfriend’s steps after a moment, but she didn’t go out, watching two of the most important people to her through the window next to the door, holding her breath. Once she confirmed there wasn’t going to be any more arguing, she smiled. “Dorks.” She walked away, deciding to give them some privacy.

* * *

Therese stood in front of the fancy restaurant chosen by Harge, feeling the desire to puke.

If it wasn’t for the fact that she would have to deal with the consequences in her job, she would turn around and leave the man stood up. But it was only one time. If she had been capable to date Richard for years, she could do this without a problem.

Looking at her clock, she sighed deeply. She wanted to be purposefully late but she couldn’t keep postponing it. After another sigh, this time trying to take some courage, she went inside, scanning the place in an attempt to not be taken aback if the table was away from onlookers. Luckily (and Therese wouldn’t care if Harge did it to show off the fact that he was accompanied by a beautiful woman) their table was easy to see in the middle of the establishment. However, Therese pretended not to notice it so she could be guided by the hostess, wanting to take every opportunity to spend as little as possible time with Carol’s father.

“Therese.” Harge stood up from the chair when the woman arrived. “So good to see you.” He saw her the moment she enter the restaurant so he had had the time to hide his disappointment about her clothes, expecting something more feminine like a dress, something that showed that she cared. Instead, she was pretty much dressed like him.

“Thank you.” She smiled politely to the hostess, waiting until she left to look at Harge. “Mr. Aird.” She moved her head in greeting.

The man frowned. “Harge, please.” He pulled back one of the chairs next to him but Therese did the same with the one that was in front of the one he had been using, sitting down. He quickly recovered from his puzzlement, sitting on the chair he pulled back.

Therese tried to not react in anyway, thinking that she would have to be entirely concentrated to no address the man by either his name or last name. “Right.”

“I took the liberty to order some drinks for us while I was waiting.” If he was expecting an apology or explanation for the delay, he had another thing coming.

“Oh.” She twisted her mouth, looking at the champagne glasses in the middle of the table. “I don’t like alcohol,” she lied because there was no way that she was going to lower her defenses with Harge Aird.

There was surprise in the man’s features, and for a moment he didn’t know how to react, taking a moment to think as if he had been hit with a football on the stomach and he was catching his breath. “What would you like me to order for you to drink then?”

“Don’t worry, I can order on my own once I make up my mind.” She smiled in an attempt to smooth the harshness of the comment.

The following silence was awkward and the poor waiter was able to notice it right away. “Good evening, my name is Nicholas, I will be your waiter today.” He offered them the menus. “Would you like me to give you a moment before taking your order?”

Harge was about to agree when Therese beat him to speak. “I would actually like to hear the Chef’s Suggestions.” The waiter gazed at Harge, who looked like he had sucked a lemon but didn’t say anything about it.

Over ten minutes later, the waiter finally moved away from their table. He wasn’t sure if he should feel sorry for the woman, who clearly looked uncomfortable and was using every opportunity to minimize her interactions with her date, having him repeating the Chef’s Suggestions several times and even going to the point of asking the ingredients to be sure she wasn’t allergic to anything (Nicholas was willing to beat his payment for the entire year in the fact that the woman didn’t have any allergies), or if he should be sorry for the man, who was clearly oblivious of the fact that his date wasn’t interested in him at all.

Therese squirmed on the chair when the waiter left after taking their orders, avoiding Harge’s eyes. The man didn’t take in the wrong way, for the first time nailing it when he thought that the woman was simply nervous though not for the reasons he believed.

In an attempt to relax her, he started to talk about himself instead of making her the spotlight. Therese didn’t miss the opportunity handed to her, pretending to be really interested in what Harge was saying, throwing the necessary comment or question to keep him talking, using the excuse of eating once the food was served to avoid speaking for long periods of time whenever the man tried to include her in the conversation. Therese could tell that Harge wasn’t upset about making the evening about him if the smug attitude he had taken was a clue.

It was a wonder that Carol (and Therese would be eternally grateful), who was part of this man, was completely opposite to him.

* * *

Carol was sitting on the grass in front of Abby’s house.

She had stormed out of the house with all the intention to leave, reaching the point of getting in the car but when she remembered that there was no way she could be in her house or Therese’s apartment, she sat motionless, unsure of what to do. She wasn’t in the mood to drive aimless nor to wander in different places, waiting for her girlfriend’s text.

For a moment, she stayed inside the car, with her hands and forehead on the steering wheel until she felt suffocated, for which she got out, deciding to sit on the grass until she got it together.

That’s how Abby found her, using her arms to hug her legs and looking down at the ground defeatedly.

“Hey.” The tone was soft but clear, nevertheless, Carol didn’t answer but it didn’t make Abby hesitate so she sat next to her. “I’m sorry. I was paying you attention, I was just too surprised that my brain wasn’t able to make me react like nothing but an idiot.” She sighed with exaggeration. “Which you and Gen would say it’s nothing out of the ordinary.”

Carol couldn’t help the smirk that curved her lips briefly, then she sighed, lowering her head. “You have nothing to apologize for, I should be the one apologizing. I overreacted, I’m sorry.” When she looked at her friend, Abby smiled at her in a way that let her know everything was okay between them. “I just … I hate this.”

Abby placed her hand on Carol’s shoulder, squeezing comfortingly. “I won’t even begin to imagine what you must be feeling but considering that I never saw you reacting like that …” she trailed off.

“I tried to pretend everything was okay because I didn’t want to make Therese feel worse. The stupid thing is that all this was my idea.” She ran her fingers through her hair, frustrated.

“I actually think it’s your father’s fault because he didn’t give Therese the chance to make her own decision of going or not,” Abby assured with annoyance.

“But I shouldn’t have told her about going … I should have insisted more about going to the Board and accusing him of abuse of power,” she stressed.

“Carol, she would have never agreed on that, no matter how much you insisted. She’s your partner, and a pretty damn good one if she wants to protect you.”

“I should have been protecting her too!” she raised her voice, getting worked up.

“Hey, hey, hey.” She quickly moved to kneel in front of her friend so she could hug her. “You are in a hard situation where you can’t simply act and that doesn’t mean you are failing in protecting her, it only means you have to be more careful about it.”

Carol wrapped her arms around Abby with force, as if she was in the ocean during a storm and her friend was the only thing around able to save her. She felt her eyes stinging so she hid her face on the crook of the other woman’s neck. “I’m scared, Abby,” she admitted in a whisper.

“About what?” She frowned with confusion.

“That this would change things between us.”

“Come on.” Abby pulled back to look at Carol but she was still hugging her. “You seriously can’t expect that Therese is going to be suddenly interested in your father after one date. It’s going to happen all the opposite! If she wasn’t sure about being attracted to women after you, one date with Harge Aird and she’s going to be.”

Carol snorted. “No, that’s not my concern.” She was avoiding Abby’s eyes because she was still feeling like crying in any second. “But I’m worried that my father’s words or actions are going to change her opinion about me. Believing I’m like him or something because I’m his daughter after all. Everyone does.”

“Therese is a smart woman who doesn’t let others affect her opinion about someone. And she has spent months getting to know you and that’s not going to be stained by anyone but you.” She caressed her friend’s cheek softly. “If anything, she’ll want what Gen and I have been wanted for you for so long and that’s to get you as far away from your father as possible.” Abby had even offered her to come live with her but Carol obviously rejected the offer, not wanting to be a burden for the Gerhards.

Carol smiled sadly and to her horror, her lower lip quivered. “I love her so much, Abby.”

She was expecting to see surprise in her friend’s face, who had been there during all the relationships Carol had have since they met, knowing that she never fell for either of them. But Abby smiled with affection. “Oh honey, tell me something I don’t know already.”

For some reason, that was what broke Carol down, leaving her incapable to control her tears any longer. Abby hugged her strongly, closing her eyes when Carol nuzzled her head on her neck, wanting to protect her with all her might.

Abby opened her eyes when she listened to a muffled sound, seeing Genevieve walking towards them. The couple exchanged a soft but melancholic smile when the newcomer was close enough to kneel behind Carol, joining in the hug, her head taking the other side of her friend’s and almost as if they had planned it, Abby and Genevieve kissed Carol’s cheeks tenderly at the same time.

* * *

Carol was the first one to arrive at Therese’s apartment (the expected since she had the keys, both women with other things in their mind to worry about something so meaningless) after receiving the message she had been waiting, closing the door without looking it behind her.

She turned on the lamp on the furniture next to the couch, sitting on it to wait for Therese.

After a moment where she started to drive herself crazy by bouncing her leg, she preferred to lie down, looking at the ceiling, trying to distract herself with the task of counting the figures of the ceiling pattern. When she counted the number 173, feeling like she had spent an eternity in the task when it had been only a few minutes, she was finally interrupted by a knock on the door.

“It’s open.” She straightened up to sit down.

Carol’s intention was pretty much to interrogate Therese the moment she saw her but when her girlfriend rested against the closed door with a tired sigh, smiling relieved at her in the next second, her eyes showing the appreciation of having her there, Carol didn’t care for anything else.

She jogged in Therese’s direction, cupping her head with both hands, using her thumbs to stroke her lips with an adoration that was reciprocated by the green eyes. When Therese opened her mouth with the intention to speak, Carol kissed her.

“I don’t care,” Carol said once she pulled back. “I don’t want to know. It’s doesn’t matter.” She rested her forehead against Therese’s. “All that matters is that you are here.”

Carol was expecting Therese to joke about how she couldn’t be anywhere else because this was where she lived but the woman squeezed her tighter. “There’s no other place I would rather be, Carol,” she said, making meaningful eye contact.

“I love you,” she said without thinking, resuming her task of caressing Therese’s face with reverence, but at the same time without regretting it once she realized what she had done because it was the truth.

Therese’s eyes widened momentarily, her breathing getting heavier once her heart started to beat wildly, but before Carol could tell her that she didn’t have to say it back, she responded. “I love you too.” She chuckled. “You have no idea how much.”

It was Carol’s turn to adopt a surprised expression, her heart somersaulting so erratically that she wondered if she should worry, but it was impossible to stop her expression to quickly morphing into a beaming smile that if Therese wasn’t already in love with her, that would be enough to make it happen.

Carol wrapped an arm around Therese’s waist as she leaned down to kiss her, in a soft, leisure way, smiling into the kiss when she felt the woman’s hands on her cheeks, reciprocating eagerly. With her free hand, Carol caressed the back of Therese’s thigh down her knee, lifting her leg so she could wrap it around her waist just as she lifted her a bit from the ground with her other arm, giving Therese the chance to react at what she wanted to do. Once she had her girlfriend hanging on her like a koala, Carol walked to the couch, wanting nothing more than snuggling and pampering Therese with love and affection.

Neither would have expected that this dreadful day would turn to be one that would hold dearly into their hearts. At least the last part of it.


	15. Chapter 15

After their love confession (Carol could no longer refer to the day as the ‘dreadful event’ when a better one had taken the priority) the couple went back to their honeymoon period, the one that has been fleetingly clouded by the unexpected invitation from Harge but now that it was in the past, they could continue living on it.

Carol hadn’t changed her mind about not wanting to know what had happened. The fact that her father no longer look disturbingly cheerful and Therese was back to her normal happy and relaxed self was more than enough for her.

The only difference they were experiencing was the sensation of being in love.

It has its cons and pros. On the good side, it felt like they had just begun their relationship. Abby had called them disgusting, earning a punch in her arm from Genevieve as she claimed that she seemed to have forgotten about how they were (and still were in Carol’s opinion) during their first months together. On the bad side, it was making them behave recklessly. Therese was usually the one who kept Carol on the line ─ yes, it took her a huge effort because she was equally affected as her girlfriend by their simple presence but she knew that with their circumstances they couldn’t afford what other couples did. And even though Carol was also aware of it, it was easier for her to forget it whenever she was with Therese.

That changed after their love confession. As if those three words had crumbled down Therese’s last few walls that remained standing, one being her sanity.

“You are a bad influence,” Therese whispered near to Carol’s lips, finally caving at Carol’s insistence of taking advantage of her borrowing the master key to do what she was sure was the most crazy thing they could ever do. Though she couldn’t deny that she wanted it. There was a reason why she agreed after all.

“Yeah well, you love me anyway.” She smiled smugly.

Therese rolled her eyes but she chuckled. “Why do I have the feeling that I’m going to hear that very often?”

“Most certainly.” She nodded. “But why wouldn’t I be showing off the fact that you love me? I’m the luckiest gal.” Her smile was full of love.

Therese smiled tenderly. “Funny. I think the same about me.”

Carol lowered her head to kiss her, pulling away almost immediately. “Besides, you love the fact that I’m a bad influence.” Therese was opening her mouth, surely to disagree so Carol kept talking. “You wouldn’t be wearing it if that wasn’t the case.”

Therese closed her mouth, blushing. “I- that’s- you use your birthday as an excuse for me to agree!”

“True,” Carol agreed. “But I’m not actually forcing you to do something you don’t want, am I? Because in that case, I would be a terrible girlfriend.” She pouted.

“Stop!” She playfully patted Carol’s shoulder, making her laugh. “It’s not fair that you use against me every single weapon you have.”

“You love-”

Therese cut her off, holding her by the nape and pulling her down to kiss her, her lips parting almost immediately after making contact with Carol’s, making her moan when their tongues met, tightening her grip on Therese’s hips, her body slowly moving against the other woman’s, who couldn’t help but thrust her pelvis forward.

“Someone’s eager,” Carol muttered with a pleased smile after pulling away, kissing her way to Therese’s ear.

“I accept I’m looking forward to this as much as you.” They might not be in the classroom like in their original fantasy but they were on the premises, which definitely gave the adrenaline shot of doing something forbidden. “Even though it’s insanity.”

The tip of Carol’s tongue traced the shell of the ear. “It’s not insane wanting to demonstrate our love in this way.”

“It kinda is when we are about to have sex on the roof of one of the University’s buildings.” She closed her eyes, shrinking her head in Carol’s direction, making it look like she was using it to stop her but it was the natural reaction to the shivering that the gesture caused.

Carol pulled back to look at Therese. “Oh yes.” She grinned. “We definitely will.”

Resuming their searingly kissing, Carol backed Therese down against the wall of the rooftop exit, wanting to use that corner to give Therese a sense of security. Freeing Therese from her hold, Carol’s hands flew to the buttons of the light blue blouse to open it. She knew they couldn’t get naked but at least she could get a little access to touch Therese’s skin. Then, she was quick to remover her blazer, dropping it on the floor so Therese could sit on it without dirtying her palazzo pants.

Therese, now sitting, with her legs open and semi bend, her back resting against the wall looked up at Carol with shortness of breath while the young woman unbuttoned her sleeveless blouse, her eyes admiring the breasts cladded in a red lace bra. Fleetingly, she felt mortified, thinking that the image she gave, sitting on the floor, gaping like an idiot was a pitiful one compared with the goddess that was standing in front of her. But when Carol looked at her, biting her lower lip hungrily at the realization that Therese had lowered her pants enough to pull the toy out, her eyes flashing with nothing but desire, any trace of self-doubt vanished.

Carol stepped forward, ready to kneel down to straddle Therese when a hand on her lower belly stopped her from doing it. Her first thought was that Therese came back to her senses but when the woman held the hem of her skirt, pulling it up to find the matching panties, prompting her to come forward as she moved away from the wall to meet halfway, her heart pounded with excitement. Their eyes locked as Therese pulled Carol’s underwear down mid-thighs and the young woman gulped loudly when the tip of her nose teased her, nuzzling her mound.

One hand slid through Therese’s hair, taking a handful softly when she made contact with Carol’s clit. “Jesus … as much as I love where this is going, we don’t have much time for foreplay, baby.”

“Right. I just want to make sure you are ready for me,” she spoke without moving away, her breath affecting Carol as much as whatever she did.

“I’m always ready for you,” Carol breathed, her voice cracking due to a whimper when Therese let her skirt go, falling on her face, hands flying to her ass to pull her closer as her tongue came out of her lips, flattening over her sex.

Carol wasn’t lying with her remark. She was soaking wet, more than ready to welcome Therese in whatever way she desired but the woman was being selfish, greedy for Carol’s taste. Since the first time she got to do this, she had become an addict, never missing the opportunity to put her tongue on Carol, knowing that she would never get enough of it.

Carol’s knees buckled while Therese’s tongue wandered over and between her folds, teasing her entrance with leisurely circles. Her head fell back, eyes taking the sight of the sky for a second before they closed. “You need to stop.” But her hips eagerly moved towards Therese’s mouth, contradicting her words.

She was stuck in a dilemma ─ she definitely didn’t want Therese to stop but she also didn’t want this to be focused exclusively on her and they didn’t have the luxury of time. But it was getting harder and harder to keep her mind in the real goal when Therese softly sucked her labia or kiss it; or when her tongue lapped with gusto at her entrance before sneaking inside, thrusting in and out so meticulously that Carol was able to feel every muscle of Therese’s tongue against her walls; or when she covered her clit with her mouth to play with it in a sequence of delicate pulls, quick licks, and eager sucks.

Giving the battle for loss, Carol relaxed, her body embracing the sensations caused, preferring the best outcome: coming as fast as possible so they could move forward and by the way Therese was affecting her, it wouldn’t take long.

Therese couldn’t help but smile victoriously when Carol caved under her touch, her hand pulling her towards her as if she had the intention of escaping, the tension of her muscles now due to the fact that she was close to exploding and not because she was trying to control herself.

By now, she considered an expert at reading Carol’s body language ─ after the first time she had taken the reins, she had had more opportunities to do it, investigating what Carol liked or not, surprising the young woman whenever she discovered an erogenous zone of which she wasn’t aware of. So when she felt Carol’s tensing, tightening the grip in her hair, Therese knew exactly how to move her tongue over her clit frantically until tiring it out, replacing the caresses with suctions afterwards, which was all Carol needed to moan Therese’s name while the explosion of pleasure ran all over her body.

Therese caught Carol when she wasn’t capable to hold herself up after her orgasm, settling her on her lap. The young woman blinked slowly, reacting instinctively to cup Therese’s face to joining their lips, tasting herself on her girlfriend’s lips. It was a chaste kiss at first but when her flavor pushed its way through her light-headed state, it was as if she was injected with revitalizing energy. The kiss soon turned passionate and demanding, Carol taking the control, not giving Therese the chance to give battle. Not that she wanted because Therese was practically melting, every sense intoxicated by Carol’s lips and tongue.

Carol shifted on Therese’s lap, one hand slipping between their bodies to their sexes, lifting on her knees as her fingers wrapped around the dildo, guiding it to her entrance but even though she was desperate to feel it inside her, she diverted it towards her clit first, jumping a little with the contact since she was still sensitive.

Therese was biting her lower lip, her eyes who had been on Carol’s face after breaking the kiss, lowered to between her legs when she felt the movement, watching what she was doing thanks to the fact that she had tucked the bottom hem under the waistband. “Carol …”

Listening Therese’s begging tone made Carol smile but also give her what she wanted, not wanting to waste any more time. Once she settled the tip of the cock against her entrance, she placed her hands on Therese’s shoulders, digging her nails on the skin as she started to lower herself. Therese was watching the toy disappearing slowly in Carol’s pussy, conjuring the sensation of being wrapped inside her, feeling a pang of desire between her legs that increased when Carol sat back on her lap, grinding against her, the base of the dildo making pressure on her clit.

Therese’s hands clenched on Carol’s hips as the young woman leisurely moved in circles, and front to back, building up her longing. Therese let her head fall back, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath through her mouth, not feeling the smack against the concrete, only focused in the fact that she loved when Carol ride her ─ there was nothing more erotic than seeing her body moving sensually on top of her, seducing her with her looks and her hands playing with herself but she knew Carol was teasing her with the slow pace and by now, she was desperate to come.

In her mind, Therese could see herself standing up, taking Carol with her, pulling out from her body to turn her around, bending her over the wall edge to slip back inside her, immediately thrusting with wildness, her pelvis smashing into her butt that the sound it could match Carol’s cries of pleasure. It was a very tempting image, but Therese wasn’t entirely gone to forget about where they were and the risk of someone looking up and seeing them.

What she could do, and did, was using her legs to raise herself up, even if just a little, but when it didn’t have the effect she desired, she wrapped an arm around Carol’s waist, leaning forward to switched their positions, feeling frustrated when she couldn’t remain inside Carol, who shrieked at the maneuver but instinctively, her body moved accordingly to what Therese wanted.

While Therese took advantage of what had happened to remove Carol’s panties, she adjusted her blazer so she could rest her ass on it because she wasn’t sitting as Therese had been, her back making full contact with the wall; in Carol’s case, only her shoulder blades and head were against the wall, the middle of her back in the air and the lower back on the floor, and the last thing she wanted was to end up with a scraped off ass, though she was sure it would be worth it.

Carol spread her legs welcomingly to Therese when they were done with their tasks, who in a beat was placing her arms next to Carol, hands on the floor, both looking down to see her aiming her cock to Carol’s entrance, slipping back inside in one motion that combined a moan and a growl. It wasn’t the most comfortable position for Carol to be ─ not only she didn’t have full support but where she did, the contact was against bare ground which would leave her arms sore after a moment ─ but it was compensated by far, to have Therese on top of her, giving everything to pound in her, almost as if she would never have the opportunity to do it again and she wanted to give Carol an unforgettable memory.

After one thrust, it proved that it was going to be unforgettable when Therese’s hit the right spot after thrusting upwards once her cock was all the way in. “Ohhh, fuck!” Carol’s eyes widened in surprise. “Do that again.”

Therese was unsure of what Carol meant because she didn’t believe she had done anything she hadn’t done before whenever she used the strapon but nevertheless, she tried to focus on her last movement to repeat it. “This?” She did the same maneuver.

“Yeees!” Her eyes fluttered closed, every single muscle of her body trembling with intensity. “Again, please … don’t stop.” Not that Therese would do it after watching Carol’s reaction.

Not waiting for Therese to do all the job, Carol started to move her hips, meeting Therese mid-thrust, making sure that the toy always hit the spot that threatened to send her over the edge at the most unexpected of times, moving up and down to rub and stimulate Therese’s clit, prompting the woman to pound harder, leaning on her knees to have a better support, which she had been avoiding in an attempt to not mess up with her pants but now she was far too gone to care for that, her mind submitting to her body’s pleasure and only focusing in coming and making her girlfriend come.

The orgasm Carol experienced blocked her out from reality entirely, incapable to focus in anything that wasn’t related to her own pleasure, never experiencing something so intense before, forgetting where they were, opening her mouth to scream her girlfriend’s name. Therese wasn’t sure how she did it when she was mesmerized by the erotic image in front of her, which also was the trigger for her orgasm, but she read Carol’s reaction properly, leaning forward just in time to swallow Carol’s moan.

Somehow, that brought Carol back to her senses, allowing her to see the way Therese’s face contorted in pleasure and to feel the way her body tensed, convulsing with pleasure, still thrusting against her to prolong the sensation until it vanished completely. That was enough to make her have another brief and less intense orgasm but just as pleasant.

Therese rested her forehead against Carol’s, breaths becoming one as they fought to catch their breath, slowly moving her legs, feeling them numb, bending them towards Carol’s direction until they make contact with Carol’s ass. Somehow, she found the strength to lift Carol after wrapping her arms around her waist to pull her against her in a hug. Carol’s hands lost in Therese’s hair, her face nuzzling against Therese’s before turning it to find her lips, giving her a slow and tempting kiss.

“Best birthday present ever,” she breathed against Therese’s lips with a tone of awe, making her chuckle joyfully before they were kissing once again.

* * *

Harge was pacing in the living room when Carol finally arrived home.

Unfortunately, she had to make a stop in the house to shower after her practice and even though she knew that Therese would have no problem for her to use her shower, she didn’t have clean clothes to wear. Several times Carol had thought about leaving a change in Therese’s apartment for whenever something unexpected happened but she didn’t want to impose herself in such way without an invitation.

Her gaze left the man to look at the stairs, convinced that she would be capable to go unnoticed if she was quiet enough. She took her sneakers off to have most probabilities of success and after one last look to the living room, she started to walk.

She smiled victoriously when she reached the stairs but just as she was stepping on them, ready to climb, she was startled by a voice. “There you are.” Carol, taking advantage that she was with her back to her father, scrunched up her nose with annoyance at failing.

“Hey.” She forced a smile when she turned around to face him. “It’s not too early for you to be home?” She raised an eyebrow.

“There’s something that has been eating me all week and I want to talk with you.”

He didn’t look angry but restless, so Carol didn’t believe she had reasons to worry. “What is it?”

“Come, come.” He gestured with a hand for her to follow him as he walked back to the living room to sit on the edge of the loveseat.

Rolling her eyes, Carol dropped her belongings at the foot of the stairs which scattered, feeling like a child throwing a tantrum before following him. After looking where the man sat, she headed to a different couch, the individual one, the furthest from where her father was and from where she could oversee the whole room, feeling her father’s eyes on her the whole time.

Harge narrowed her eyes. “I was expecting you to sit with me.”

Carol’s too-sweet-to-be-real smile appeared on her lips. A smile she had perfected and men like her father always believed. “I can hear you just fine from here.”

The man sighed. He was tempted to argue, even order her to sit next to him but he needed Carol to be in the best mood for what he was going to say. “Fine.” He rested his arms on his knees. “I’m not entirely sure how to bring this up.”

For a moment, Carol did worry, all her thoughts imagining that Harge was again trying to set her up with some son of an acquaintance. “Dad, you promised you would stop introducing me to men. It’s awkward for everyone involved.” She placed an arm on the armrest to rub her forehead tiredly.

He shook his head and Carol was indignantly expecting how he was going to get out of the promise he had made. “No, that’s not it.”

Carol seemed doubtful but she could tell her father was sincere. Harge had never been good at concealing his emotions. “Then just say it. There’s nothing worse than that and you already said it’s not that.” She smiled, feeling at ease.

Harge smiled back, feeling hopeful that he decided. “I’m interested in dating again.”

Carol blinked a couple of times, surprised. She would have never imagined that he would want to try his luck so quickly after his date with Therese. “Okay … so what, you are going to try one of those dating apps?” It took an effort not to laugh, imagining him asking her about how those worked.

“No.” He frowned. “I can’t even believe those things exist.” He shuddered dramatically. “No, no. There’s someone I’m interested in.” When he founded himself fiddling with his hands, he stopped abruptly, changing his position to rest his back on the couch, crossing his legs.

Carol was even more surprised now.

She knew that for a child it was hard to tell how a parent was when it came to dating because they simply didn’t share those things unless they acted more like a friend or sibling, which they surely existed. However, Harge was old-fashioned, so for her, it had been easy to deduce that her father wasn’t the kind of man that put his eyes on several women at the same time so he could have a replacement in case one didn’t work. But it seemed she had been wrong and if things with Therese didn’t work out, he, like many men with a wounded ego needed a win.

Unless … but no, it wasn’t possible that he was talking about _her_. He couldn’t be that dense.

“Who?” she whispered, afraid of the answer.

“You know her, and I believe you are going to like the answer.” He smiled enthusiastically though he seemed guilty in the next second. “We actually went on a date already. It wasn’t great, but I’m sure that she was just nervous and it would be better next time. Though I’m sure she’s interested because she didn’t stop asking me questions.” He looked positively sure. “It’s your teacher, Therese Belivet.”

Carol felt her blood turning ice cold and she felt the desire to puke the longer she listened to her father’s words. “You can’t do that.”

Harge wasn’t surprised at her reaction. “Carol, I know this is not easy for you. But it’s time for me to leave your mother behind. I’ll always love her and this is not an attempt to replace her.” He could see Carol’s features changing angrily but he would never be able to guess the real reason why. “She’ll always be your mother but-”

“That’s not why!” she interrupted him, standing up infuriated. “I couldn’t care less if you date! But you can’t date _her_!”

“And why not?” He was frowning now, thinking that his daughter was acting like a selfish child that didn’t want him to be happy if he had the chance.

Carol bit her tongue, trying really hard to come up with a convincing lie, more than ready to use work to justify her reaction. But when she saw the man shaking his head in a disappointed way, as if he believed that she had no reason to react in this way, surely thinking that she was only a brat, her reasoning was compromised.

“Because she’s my girlfriend and she wasn’t nervous, she simply didn’t want to go out with you!”

It was only when Carol’s eyes caught Harge’s widening with shock to then was replaced with rage that her brain registred what she had done.

Her heart started beating with panic, eyes widening with horror, hands flying to cover her mouth but she was lucid enough to sprint out of the house in the next second, ignoring Harge’s calls, so desperate to get away that she didn’t pay any attention to the fact that she wasn’t wearing any shoes.


	16. Chapter 16

The constant knocking in her apartment’s door made Therese jump, distracting her from her reading, making her feel nervous because it sounded distraught. She gazed in its direction, unsure of moving from her spot on the couch even when she was waiting for Carol’s arrival. However, the knocking was not something she could relate to Carol so her brain was paranoidly feeling her mind with every possible concerning outcome: a thief with an elaborated facade, ready to take advantage of people who lived alone; someone who actually needed helped and she would be involved into a mess; or simply a jerk without manners that would give her an uncomfortable experience.

Another knock pulled Therese’s out of her thoughts, this time accompanied by a familiar voice. “Therese?”

Hearing Carol’s voice didn’t help to calm Therese because the young woman sounded apprehensive but it was enough to finally make her move, hurrying to open the door.

Therese felt her heart stopping when she looked at Carol ─ she weared a disheveled appearance, which was entirely out of character; her eyes were slightly red but not because she had been crying, in fact, it looked like she had been holding it back, there was a slight redness in her lower lip that pointed out that she had been nibbling it anxiously, trying to focus into something else. But the fact that she wasn’t wearing shoes, turned on Therese’s alarms.

“Oh my God, what the hell happened to you?” she managed to blurt out, taking another look at Carol from head to toe, beginning to think the worst.

Carol walked next to Therese to get inside the apartment, ignoring her question. “I ruined it.” She rubbed her face, running her finger through her hair afterwards. “I fucking ruined it!”

Therese frowned with confusion, closing the door. “What are you talking about?” Carol was still mumbling the same words, acting like she wasn’t aware of where she was and with whom. Worried, Therese walked to her, holding her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at her. “Carol.” She waited until the bluish-gray eyes were on her. “I need you to calm down. Breathe,” she ordered when Carol still looked disoriented.

The young woman closed her eyes at the time she took a deep breath but when she opened them back and focused on Therese, who smiled at her reassuringly, looking her tenderly, Carol’s lower lip quivered, eyes filling with unshed tears, knowing that once she find out what had happened, everything would be different. The change, who wasn’t concealed at all, made Therese’s concerns grow.

“Carol, you are scaring me,” she said honestly, not able to stay in the darkness for more time. “Tell me what happened.” She was speaking softly even though her heart was pounding furiously against her chest.

She sniffed. “You will hate me.”

“You would never be able to do something for me to hate you,” she tried to reassure her, stroking one side of her face.

However, Carol shook her head. “You will because I ruined it so badly.” The tears were finally shed.

Fleetingly, the thought of being cheated filled Therese’s mind because that was the only thing that she could think of that would changed her opinion about the young woman but it was quickly discarded since she was willing to bet everything she had in the fact of knowing Carol enough to know she wasn’t a cruel person to do something like that when she knew Therese’s history. “Tell me what happened,” she repeated, inserting the commanding tone she only used during her classes.

“I …” Carol took a deep breath, closing her eyes. “I blurted out to my father that we are together.” After speaking, she wished for something that vanished her existence from the world.

Therese blinked puzzled at first, her brain not quite absorbing the revelation just yet. When the pin finally dropped, her eyes widened cartoonishly but there was nothing funny in the way her skin paled at the time she lost her balance, as if she was about to faint, for which Carol was quick to hold her by the waist.

“Are you okay?” Carol asked with concern, her eyes flying over Therese’s face, trying to read her.

Therese removed one hand from Carol’s shoulder while the other slide to her chest. For a horrible moment, Carol believed that she was going to be pushed but she was able to relax when Therese’s fingers grabbed her shirt. “He knows?” she whispered.

“I’m so sorry,” she said as an answer. “I assure you it wasn’t my intention, but he started to talk about dating again, and I believed he was referring to another woman so I was okay with it but when he mentioned it was you …” She shook her head. “I lost it because how can he claimed to be interested in you and not notice that you weren’t at ease while you were with him? And to even imagine you going through that hell again ….” She shook her head again. “I couldn’t bare it so I blurted it out without thinking and-”

It was adorable to see Carol ramble because she was normally so unaltered and it helped Therese to focus in something to distract her from her shock but she was so worked up that she was ignoring Therese’s attempts to interrupt her so the woman did the only thing that came to her mind that would be able to shut Carol up: kissing her.

Carol was surprised by the gesture that she wasn’t able to reciprocate, her gaze looking down at Therese during it and following her as she pulled back. “You are not angry?” she questioned with surprise.

“Why would I be?” Therese tilted her head with confusion. “I’m aware that we are in a predicament, but I’m not angry with you. I chose to be with you knowing that it was risky and that most likely there would be consequences if someone ever found out, and I don’t regret it.”

Carol’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “But your job … I don’t-”

Therese silenced her by pressing her index finger against her lips. “Shhh. We are going to leave that for tomorrow, okay? There’s no point in driving ourselves crazy when we don’t know what’s exactly going to happen. I mean, yes, there’s a big chance I’m going to be unemployed,” she made a face, “but it’s not like it’s my dream job, so …” she trailed off, shrugging.

Carol was puzzled at Therese’s attitude after her first reaction to the news but she smiled back when Therese did it, knowing that it wasn’t a real smile and the woman was faking in her behalf but Carol decided to play along. She had already screwed up once that day, there was no way she was going to give Therese more to worry about.

* * *

Therese barely slept that night.

Once she and Carol made their way to the bedroom ─ because there was no way the young woman would go back to her house that day; and Therese didn’t want her to go and face Harge on her own. In fact, she wanted to be the first one doing it to know where the man stood so she could warn Carol in some way ─ they hadn’t talked much, preferring to cuddle and exchange tender physical displays of affection, hoping to reassure each other.

When Carol fell asleep with her head on her shoulder and an arm draped over her stomach, Therese’s eyes moved away from the beautiful features that weren’t able to entirely relax to the ceiling. She was surprised at the fact that she wasn’t freaking out as she had imagined she would be if someone who shouldn’t, found out about their relationship.

There was no way to deny she was concerned, but mostly for Carol. The last thing she wanted was to turned her into a target and though there was no way that Harge would share such news all over the University, Therese didn’t want him to use her against her, trying to threaten her so Therese didn’t have a terrible outcome.

Therese fervently believed that it would be better to face the man on their own (if Carol wanted to do it at some point) because they would have a clear mind without the distraction of the other’s presence that easily clouded them with the emotions that washed away their logic. She only hoped that once she shared her opinion with Carol, the young woman didn’t put too much of a fight because she also had every right to have an opinion in the matter and if they didn’t agree, then they would need to seek for an option that worked for both of them.

Nevertheless, having a purpose made Therese feel weirdly calm ─ she knew that Harge would want to talk to her immediately; she knew that most likely he would be furious. But having an idea of what to expect gave her the sensation of being in control somehow. However, she knew that once she was close to face the man, it would be entirely different.

Therese sighed before closing her eyes, feeling Carol cuddling closer to her once she felt the movement. She leaned her head against hers, nuzzling softly to then press her lips against her forehead, the arm wrapped around the sleeping body, tightening slightly with affection. After breaking the contact with her lips, Therese leaned her head against Carol’s once again, wanting to sleep closer to her the few hours she could before she had to get ready for work.

There was so much more light when Therese opened her eyes, which indicated that it was already daytime and the woman had beaten her alarm. Not wanting to wake Carol, Therese slid away from her hold and out of the bed carefully, after deciding what she was going to wear and put the clothes on the bathroom, she went back to take her cell phone with her to deactivate the alarm as she headed to the bathroom once again.

After taking a shower and getting dressed, Therese stepped out, drying her hair with a towel when she noticed movement from the bed, causing her to halt for a second. When everything was still, she resumed her task, standing in front of the vanity to brush her hair, being interrupted when she was placing the brush on the furniture just as she was finishing.

“Hey,” Carol woke up despite Therese’s attempts to get ready without making noise. “What time is it?” She blinked repeatedly, trying to blink the sleep away.

“Too early for you to worry about it,” she said amused, walking towards the bed, sitting next to Carol. “I want to ask you a favor.” She brushed the blonde locks softly.

“Of course. Anything,” she was eager to agree.

“Don’t go to college today.” She gave her a pleading expression.

Carol’s lips parted slightly, taken aback. “What, why?”

Therese sighed. “We don’t know what we are going to face and even though I’m sure your father won’t take it against you, I don’t want you in the middle of whatever he wants to say to me.”

“But,” she frowned, “that’s silly. We should go like a strong unit. We are a couple and this is a drama we should face together.”

“Carol.” She took one of her hands between hers, taking it to her lips to kiss it. “As charming as it is, and even though I’m melting inside due to your chivalry, I don’t want Harge to think that I’m taking you as my shield because I’m scared. Or worse, using you against me. He knows that he can’t threaten me by putting your career in jeopardy because we know it would be an empty threat since he’s your father and that would be the last thing he wants, but he might try to brainwash you, making you believe that I can walk unscathed if we break up and promise to never see each other again.”

A thing he would definitely do and Carol knew it because she sighed resignedly. “I don’t like it.”

“I know. I wouldn’t like it either if I was in your place. But I want to protect you,” she admitted vulnerably. “Not that I think you need it but you are my girlfriend and I might have been unsure about us being a good idea at the beginning but I fell in love with you and that means I’m willing to fight for us when it’s necessary.”

Carol smiled, sniffing moved. “It’s not fair that you are using my endless love for you against me.”

Therese chuckled. “That’s not it and you know it. If you want to go, I won’t stop you, I’m just telling you how I would like to do things because I think it would work better for us.”

Carol nodded in understanding. “Well, as I said, I don’t like it … but if in that way you’ll feel comfortable to face my father …” She took a deep breath. “I think I can deal with not going with you.” She grimaced inevitably at the end.

“Are you sure?” She raised an eyebrow, trying to conceal a smile.

Carol rolled her eyes, noticing it. “Yes. But you should go before I change my mind.” Therese smiled gratefully, feeling her body relaxing. She stroked Carol’s cheek before leaning forward to press a soft kiss on her lips. Carol followed her with her eyes once she stood up to retrieve her jacket and smiled when Therese stopped at the stairs to give her one last look, sending a kiss on her way. “Hey,” Carol spoke without being aware of wanting to do it after Therese stepped down a couple of steps.

The woman looked at Carol’s direction, watching her bit her lower lip nervously, a gesture uncharacteristic of her, which made her want to go back to hug her. “What is it?” she asked in a soft tone, anxious to go back to her but if she did, she worried that her stance would crumble and she wouldn’t be capable to leave Carol’s side.

“Could you-?” She interrupted herself by nibbling on her lip, looking down at her lap, feeling silly for what she was about to request because she believed it would make her look desperate. “Could you come back as soon as you are able? I don’t have my cell phone with me and I’ll be crawling up the walls wondering what’s going on all the time, so I-”

“Absolutely,” she was quick to interrupt her because she didn’t need to hear more. “I doubt your father has the intention of letting me work so I’ll be back once I’m done talking with him.” She smiled reassuringly.

“Thank you,” she whispered with a smile.

Therese smiled back but she didn’t move right away, taking a moment to admire the woman on the bed. “I love you, Carol,” she broke the silence after a few seconds, just when Carol started to look at her with confusion, her heart beating enthusiastically when Carol’s smile appeared again. Therese had noticed that Carol’s smiles were different whenever she said those words, as if hearing them filled her world with colors she had never seen before.

“I love you too.”

Therese left the apartment clinging on to the words that would work as her shield and sword for the battle she was about to face.

* * *

Therese had been expecting to receive a phone call during her way to the University, believing that the first thing Harge would do was to access her folder to find out her information to call her and fire her over the phone. But at the same time, she knew it was improbable to happen because this was personal to him.

There was nothing different as she pulled on her parking space but when she got out of her car, she was looking around attentively, almost like she was going to be suddenly surrounded by a group of people ready to interview her.

Shaking her head at the ridiculous notion with a smile, Therese headed to the building where she taught, feeling like she was stepping into the Twilight Zone because Harge wasn’t waiting for her at the entrance as she expected. Nothing was out of the ordinary ─ some students were hurriedly walking through the halls, others where chattering and a few smiled at her direction when she passed by.

Everything was normal that Therese started to wonder if it had only been a dream.

Arriving to the Teachers Room, she felt relieved to see Dannie speaking with a coworker, pouring a cup of coffee as he usually did, that she was tempted to hug the man but she refrained herself from doing it, knowing that it would confuse him because it was always him who initiated that kind of affection, which would clue him that something was happening and Therese wasn’t ready to open her mouth about the situation.

After the bewildering way everything was passing by, she was seriously believing she had had a very vivid dream and if she dared to stupidly open her mouth, she was sure she was going to test her luck.

One way or another, Therese wasn’t really lucky to everything go according to her plan because when Dannie looked at her, his happy expression turned into one of concern after noticing her disorientated expression as she scanned the room like it was the first time she was there, apologizing with their coworker to walk to her direction. Not wanting to draw unwanted attention, Dannie greeted her like it was now common at the other’s eyes, hugging Therese with enthusiasm, but this time, he took more time than usual to let her go.

“Hey, it’s everything okay?” he questioned during the hug. The soft beep coming from his cell phone lying on the table where he had his belongings that announced he had five minutes to start his class was heard in the background.

Therese closed her eyes, squeezing her friend with more strength than necessary, as if he was clinging to him. “I’m not entirely sure how to answer that question.”

She smiled resignedly after pulling apart, listening the door opening behind them but neither paid attention to it. “That doesn’t sound good at all.” His eyebrows furrowed worriedly, eyes examining her as if to find the answer.

Therese was opening her mouth to tell him when a voice stopped her from doing it, stiffening her entirely. “Miss Belivet.”

To anyone else, Harge’s voice was nothing but business, but Therese could notice the tinge of tension and controlled anger. She gulped before turning around to look at him, hoping that her mask of confidence was better placed this time. “Yes, Mr. Aird?”

“I need to speak with you in my office.” He narrowed his eyes with annoyance when she nodded in a chilling attitude. “Now.”

“Right. I’ll be right behind you.” She breathed deeply when the man left the room but not wanting to make things worse for her, she knew she couldn’t keep him waiting so in the next second, she was stepping towards the door.

“Sweetie.” Dannie hold her hand without thinking, reacting instinctively at the apprehensive sensation that Therese was releasing. He blinked when he noticed what he had done, looking at their hands with confusion. “Uhm, won’t you leave your things here?” It was the first thing it came to his mind, knowing that he couldn’t questioned her like he would like.

“It’s okay,” she tried to reassure him, knowing that her presence wouldn’t last the workday and she wouldn’t come back. “I’m sure it won’t take long and I don’t mind carrying my things.”

Dannie saw his friend go, wondering if she had an idea of how bad she was at lying. It was a miracle that her relationship with Carol hadn’t been discovered in all these months. His eyes widened when he experienced the same sensation that made him hold Therese to stopped her from following Harge in an attempt to protect her. “Oh no.”

* * *

Therese wondered if this is how students felt when they were sent to the Principal’s office. She couldn’t know because she had always been a good student but at the moment, she was feeling like puking at every step she took. Harge was ahead of her, having waited for her to make sure she wasn’t going to run away, but Therese decided to follow him until he was at a relative distance that ensure he wouldn’t thrown deadly stares at her direction.

When Harge closed the door of his office after she stepped inside, Therese felt like she was an innocent person sent to jail, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up when she felt the presence of the man close to her when he walked next to her towards his chair, but he didn’t sit down, intending to portray an intimidating image.

“Where is she?” Harge growled like a menacing animal.

Even when her heart was beating nervously, Therese was tempted to play dumb, to toy with him so he knew that she wasn’t a scared kitty. However, she refrained herself, wishing to end this as fast as possible. “I’m sure you know the answer to that.”

Harge closed his eyes, shaking his head. “How stupid I was to believe you could be a good influence to my daughter when the reality was that you were corrupting her behind my back.”

Therese’s eyes widened at the accusation. “Corrupting-” She blinked incredulous. “You think that what, I turned her gay?” A beat. Then Therese laughed at how ridiculous the man was, which anger him more.

“Carol never did this kind of nonsense before you appeared,” he accused with certainty.

Therese closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, trying to stop the soft ache she was feeling from increasing. “Right …” she mumbled.

“There’s no doubt that you have taken advantage from your position to force her into this … aberration,” he continued as if she hadn’t speak.

She never had the intention to be defensive and start a fight. That wasn’t her style. But the fact that he was not only indicating she had abused of Carol in some sort of way but also calling their love, the best that had happened in Therese’s life, an aberration, ignited a fire inside her. “Perhaps you need to look at your own flaws instead of wanting to blame others of a reality you have never been able to see because you don’t pay attention to your own daughter.” Therese noticed the man’s frown deepening and his lips parting to counterattack but she continued, raising her voice. “The truth is that you don’t know Carol at all.” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “You only cared to create an image of her that fit your standards.

“You never paid attention to the fact that every single of your comments, claiming what was the best for her, were nothing but an imposition. You never paid attention to her nuances that screamed she never wanted what you wanted.” She was confident to say all this because Carol had told her about it from her perspective. “I bet you have no idea that Carol’s dream career is Fashion Design and not something related to Arts. But to hell with her dreams because her father works in an Art School, right?” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Nor the fact that the two people that kept her sane during all this madness are her two gay best friends. Or that she herself is … why do you think she was so resistant to the times you wanted to pair her up with some of your friends’ sons?” Harge made a sour expression as if he had eaten an entire lemon at the time he shook his head. “But once again, who cares about her desires, about the possibility that some of those young men might have force themselves on her, if it means to be _normal_ in your eyes.” She made a pregnant pause. “For her, it became easy to pretend something she wasn’t because after all, you are her father, how could she stand against you?”

Even when her words were speaking about things that hit home, he refused to believe them. It wasn’t possible that he had been mapping Carol’s life without caring for his daughter’s wishes as she claimed when she was the most important person for him. “You want to make me believe that you know her better than me?” He snorted mockingly. “I’ve known her for her entire life. You’ve known her for less than a year.”

Therese didn’t waver. “And yet, I know her better than you ever will.” She raised an eyebrow. “Let’s make this easier … what’s her favorite food?”

Harge opened his mouth but nothing came out of it. How could he know when the staff prepared everything for them? But it was also true that he never bothered to ask. “That’s ridiculous. And so not the point why we are here.” He frowned.

“And why am I here, Harge?” she faked ignorance, finally using the man’s name, well aware that he wouldn’t appreciate it now, biting the inside of her cheek to not react when he dedicated her a deadly glare.

“If you think I’m going to allow you to keep my daughter under your claws, you are very mistaken,” he growled.

“Unfortunately for you, that’s not your call.” She shrugged, unable to stop a smirk when he turned angrily red even though her heart was beating wildly.

Harge wanted nothing more than argue, to unburden all the rage he had been gathering since Carol blurted out the news. However, he was sure that it was what the woman in front of him expected, so he needed to use a different strategy. With that in mind, he pulled the chair out to finally sit, trying to look more relaxed, resting his arms on the desk. “You are correct.” He nodded. “But perhaps I can offer you something better.” That was enough to change Therese’s conceited attitude, making her frown. “You know I won’t use Carol to threaten you ─ telling you that she would be expelled because I won’t put my daughter’s future in the line. But what about your future, Therese?”

The woman slipped her thumb under the satchel’s strap, placing the other four fingers atop, slowly moving her hand as if to caress it. “What about it?”

“You are a smart woman. I know you are aware that this means that I have to fire you. Unless …” There was no surprise in Therese’s face until the last word. “Perhaps we can reach an agreement.”

The frown was back, tarnishing her soft features. “An agreement?” She wasn’t asking because she was interested, she simply couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

The man nodded as he spoke. “Nobody has to know about this. You can keep your job to pay the bills.” He purposely reminded her that because he imagined that teachers didn’t have the luxury to lose their jobs. “I’m even willing to give you a rise.” He wanted to give her a temptation hard to resist. “Everyone will be happy.”

Therese narrowed her eyes when it dawned on her. “I imagine this has the clause of never interact with Carol ever again.” It wasn’t a question.

Harge smiled patronizingly. “I simply can’t let you to keep ruining my daughter’s life.” Therese clenched her jaw. “But I believe I’m being truly considerate, wanting to give you an opportunity.”

“And what if I don’t agree to you thoughtful offer?” Therese questioned with sarcasm.

Harge’s expression darkened. “Forget about teaching ever again, in this or any other school. I would make sure that everyone knows about what you did. You’ll become a pariah and nobody will want you.”

Therese tilted her head, scrutinizing the man in front of her, who surely was convinced that he was winning their confrontation. “Let me get this right … as long as I break up things with Carol, and never interact with her again, you are going to spare me from losing my job and never having the opportunity to have a job related to teaching?”

Harge nodded. “That’s correct.”

Therese pursed her lips which Harge took as his win because the woman looked affected and not in a good way. But his sensation of victory vanished like a written word on the sand after a wave when Therese opened her mouth. “It’s a shame when a parent covers their abuse with concern.” She snorted. “I should know.”

“Are you implying that I’m abusing my daughter?” If looks could kill, Therese would be already on the floor. The woman didn’t know him at all, how could she dared to say that when he, since the moment Carol was born, was devoted to do everything for her?

“Oh no, I’m not implying anything at all.” She saw the man’s body relaxing slightly. “I’m affirming it.” The rhythm of her heartbeat quickened at the aura that surrounded him, noticing him closing his hand into a fist over the desk, his body tensing as if he was going to stood up. Therese felt grateful for the desk, the distance separating them and the fact that she never walked away from the door because if would allow her to run away if he lost auto-control and decided that attacking her verbally wasn’t enough.

He looked like he was considering it.

But for all his flaws, Harge wasn’t the type of men that used physical violence when he caved to his wrath. “You don’t know me at all,” he hissed.

“I know enough to know that the love you have for your daughter it’s toxic.” She wasn’t going to contain herself now. “Carol is her own persona, not a doll with whom you can play at your will. The only thing that matters to you it’s giving a proper image to all your snobbish friend and acquaintances. You don’t care that Carol is happy. That _I_ make her happy.”

“That’s nothing but an illusion. You mentioned that her closest friends,” he spit the word like an insult, “are gay so I’m sure they are the responsibles to manipulate her mind and make her believe she’s something she’s not. Then you came to make things worse.”

Therese closed her eyes, taking a deep sigh. Trying to argue with him was a lost cause that would only tire her and surely give her a migraine. “If that’s what you want to believe, you are only going to lose your daughter.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Now are you threatening me, Miss Belivet?”

“No, I just wished you could see reason before it’s too late because you are going to regret it otherwise because I know how precious Carol is.” She paused, making eye contact with him and smiling forcefully before speaking again. “About your nice offer … don’t bother, I quit.” He looked strangely surprised which once again, pointed out the fact that he wasn’t the best at reading other people. “If I can be honest, I’m not really fond of teaching and if I interviewed for this job it was out of desperation, not because it was something I wanted. You might be right, I’m surely going to go through hard times without a job until I find something else but I prefer that, knowing that I’m sticking to my values rather than selling my soul to the devil and I’ll be happy with the person I want to be with.”

She nodded in contemplation, pleased with saying what had been in her mind despite being apprehensive about this encounter. Taking one last look at the man, who looked upset but taken aback, which left him speechless, Therese turned towards the door. There was no reason to stay any longer ─ she had said her piece and also Harge, reaching an impasse because their point of views were so different from each other. But she stopped before opening the door, with one hand on the doorknob, needing to say one last thing.

“Like it or not, I love Carol.” Every feature in her face morphed into tenderness, thinking about her. “And she’ll always have the choice to stay with me or leave me if that’s what she wants.” She turned her head a little bit more too look at him. “Because love it’s not about controlling someone and it was your daughter who taught me that. Loving her helped me to know who I truly am and that has made me free and so very happy.” She looked down at the floor momentarily, gulping, before looking back at him. “I just hope to always make her feel like that too the time she decides to stay at my side.”

Harge looked the hesitating smiled directed at his way before the woman disappeared behind the closed door of his office when she stepped out.

The confrontation left him with a bitter taste in his mouth because it hadn’t go as the way he had planned. He had been so sure that Therese would accept his offer, convinced that for the woman, Carol didn’t mean anything and would toss her without second thought at the prospect of keeping her job and more money.

He scrunched up his nose, clenching his jaw at the refusal as he rubbed her forehead with two fingers. It was always frustrating not getting away with how he wanted things to happen. But he couldn’t lose his focus. He might have lose one of the opportunities he had but there was another part involved in this mess. Someone who, despite what Therese claimed, he knew well enough and surely he would be more than capable to reach her.

He knew that Carol would come to him because Therese couldn’t give her the life she was used to have. When the moment came, he would make her see reason. They would leave the crazy woman trying to separate them behind and they would grow closer than ever.

A smile curved his lips, soothing the upsetting sensation that Therese had left behind. He was hopeful, convinced that his baby girl would never chose someone else over him, much less a woman that brainwashed her into something she was not. But once she was back to him, everything would go back to normal.


	17. Chapter 17

Carol hoped it wasn’t a habit between Therese and she to wait for her with an apprehensive sensation washing her over. Feeling like a caged lion wasn’t something that suited her fine. She had tried to distract herself by preparing breakfast but when she ended up burning it, she accepted her defeat instead of trying again and burning the apartment in her next attempt, deciding to eat cereal.

Knowing there wouldn’t be any risk, she then turned Therese’s laptop on because even if she didn’t pay attention to what she decided to put, at least the sound would help to halt her thoughts.

More than once, Carol had been tempted to go to her house to fetch her cell phone but she could picture herself sending Therese a message after another, getting more anxious whenever she didn’t get a reply so she discarded that idea quickly. The only thing she needed to do was to be strong and held it together for a while. Therese had already enough in her plate by dealing with her father to add her overwhelming concern.

And even though it felt like the hardest challenge she had ever face, that was what Carol would do.

By the time the apartment’s door finally opened, Carol was sure that Therese, who had been living there for a while, would notice that the floor was noticeable worn out after all the countless of times she had been pacing all over the place although it was pure nonsense.

Carol practically rushed towards Therese, stumbling when she miscalculated the distance from the coffee table as she passed next to it, causing her to stride towards Therese, who dropped her satchel in order to caught Carol in her arms. “I love that you are so happy to see me but you don’t need to put yourself in danger for that.”

Carol didn’t laugh at the joke, not even smiled, fleetingly making eye contact with Therese before hugging her tightly, closing her eyes to savor the moment. Therese took a second to reciprocate, taken aback by the desperate gesture but once she put herself in Carol’s shoes, imagining what she had been going through, she was quick to hug her back, turning her head towards the other to press a tender kisses from Carol’s cheek to her temple, then she rested her forehead against hers waiting for the bluish-gray eyes to open to smile at her.

Raising a hand to stroke Therese’s cheek, Carol’s lips finally curved upwards, feeling reassured to see the same love in Therese’s eyes whenever she looked at her. “Are you okay?” she whispered after a few seconds.

Therese pursed her lips. “It went as good as we could have expected.”

Carol raised her eyebrows. “So, he was an ass?”

Therese chuckled and Carol smirked in response. “Pretty much.”

Sighing, she closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Therese’s once again. “So he fired you.”

“Mmm, not quite.” She copycatted Carol by closing her eyes, moving her hands to caress her girlfriend’s back.

Carol’s eyes flutter open in shock, pulling back to make look at the woman, who scrunched up her nose in displeasure at the mild separation. “You still have a job?!”

“No. I said he didn’t fire me.” She made a dramatic pause. “I quit.” Carol’s lips were forming an ‘o’ when Therese stopped her with a soft kiss. “It’s not like your father wanted me to keep my job but he tried to blackmail me, disguising it like an offer I shouldn’t reject: I could keep my job if I broke things with you and I never interact with you again, if not, I would lose my job and any other chance to teach in the future.”

Carol blinked before her features morphed outraged. “He was trying to buy you out of my life, without caring about how would that affect me?” It shouldn’t surprise her, really.

Therese sighed, grimacing. “In his defense, he was actually implying that _I_ was interested in you because I was expecting to gain something and not because I sincerely care for you.” She didn’t want to say what he had said about Carol’s sexuality, claiming it was only a phase and that she had been brainwashed.

Carol narrowed her eyes, noticing the way Therese looked away, letting her know there was more. “What else did he say?”

Therese winced and she pursed her lips, almost as if she was trying to convey a stern attitude to not cave to Carol’s interrogation but it was nothing but a bluff. In the next second, she sighed, closing her eyes in resignation. However, she didn’t answer right away. She pulled away from Carol, who worried, thinking that she might have pushed too far but quickly relaxed when Therese took her hand to guide her to the couch.

Carol waited, sitting on the edge, watching her girlfriend sit over her bent leg to face her, leaning the side of her body against the backrest and one arm on it. When Therese started to narrate what happened in detail, Carol leaned her back against the furniture, turning her head to look at Therese, closing her eyes and resting her head too when the woman reached with one arm to stroke her hair.

Therese enjoyed to pamper Carol with tender and sweet gestures but this time there was an agenda for her caresses: making her focus in something good in an attempt to downplay the bitterness the words might cause. When Therese stopped talking, neither moved but she continued with the motions of her hand through Carol’s hair.

After a moment, Carol opened her eyes, her gaze focused on the ceiling while she pondered her next move.

There was no way that she could go back with Harge as if nothing ever happened when he had insult, not only the woman she loved but herself by fervently rejecting who she was, which also meant that she couldn’t go back to school because he surely wouldn’t miss the opportunity to seek for her. But Carol didn’t want to run away. For the first time, she was desperate to do what she always imagined she had to suppress because Harge was her father: confront him and tell him all the things she never said.

Carol turned her head to look at Therese, who by now had rested her head on her arm and smiled at her. Her smile was so precious and pure that Carol couldn’t help but smile back. “I think it’s my turn to go and talk to him,” she said afterwards.

Therese lifted her head from its position. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” She looked back at the ceiling. “It’s time to speak out. I can no longer allow him to think he can do as he pleases with my life.” Good thing she was an adult that and he couldn’t use her age in any way.

Therese trailed her fingers from Carol’s hair to her forehead, sliding next to her nose, making a pause on her lips once she reached them. “All right. If you will ready for that, it’s great. When you want to do it?”

Carol kissed Therese’s fingers before answering and they continued their way through her chin and jaw. “Today.”

Therese stopped her caresses, sliding forward to Carol, kissing her cheek before continuing their conversation. “What do you want me to do? I mean, at least I’m going to take you there because you are shoeless and mine doesn’t fit you.”

Carol chuckled. “Yeah, that’s okay. But I’ll talk to him alone. I don’t want you to wait for me because I don’t know how long it would take-”

“I don’t mind waiting if you want me to,” she hurried to clarify.

“No, it’s okay.” She turned her head once again to look at Therese. “I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen. It’s a fact that I’m not going to stay there but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get my things ─ clothes, car, cell phone.” She flourished with her hand to stop herself from giving other examples. “Part of me wants to leave it all in an ‘I don’t need anything from you’ attitude but at the same time, he gifted them to me. The car was my birthday present when I turned 21 and it was easier for him to give me money to buy whatever I wanted after my mother died because she was who bought my presents in the past.”

Therese nodded in understanding. “Then you have the right to take them with you if that’s what you want. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if he acts like you don’t.”

“I know.” She sighed tiredly, then moved her upper body forward, resting her elbows on her knees to rub her face with her fingers. Therese took the opportunity to caress her back up and down. “But I want to be over with this.”

“I’m going to draw you a bath for your return. Just text me when you are coming back.” They really need to relax after this rollercoaster.

Carol didn’t change her position but she turned her head to look at Therese, smiling gratefully. “Let’s have a schedule because part of me it’s afraid that my father could try to hold me against my will ─ I’m guessing that I’m going to be there half an hour, one at most.” She looked at the clock on the wall, atop the door. “My father arrives at home around seven o’clock so I should be back at eight. If I’m not, could you go search for me? With backup if necessary.”

Therese felt the apprehension washing her over as she nodded. She truly hoped that it wasn’t necessary to get to that point. “Count on it.”

Carol rubbed the back of her neck. “I also need to talk with Abby and Gen, but they are in college so I have to wait until they are out.”

Therese understood Carol’s desire to speak with her best friends about what was going on, but the anxious desperation that was trying to be concealed was clear for Therese. “Won’t it be better for you to talk with them another day?”

Carol shook her head. “If I’m no longer going to stay with my father, I need a place to stay. But I don’t want to force my continuous presence to one of them so I need to know if they accept me to spend a week in each house until I can find a job and save a little money to rent something on my own.”

Therese blinked incredulously. “I thought-” she started but suddenly cut herself off. Perhaps this was Carol’s attempt to tell her that she didn’t want to stay with her. It was true that she had spent the night sometimes but now they would be living together, which would be entirely different and surely, too soon for them.

“What?” She straightened from her position, looking at Therese.

This time it was her turn to shake her head. “Nothing.” She smiled, wanting to downplay it.

Carol, however, narrowed her eyes. “Come on, tell me. Please,” she added at the time she took Therese’s hand with both of hers.

Therese took a moment to see the way Carol caressed the back of her hand with her thumb to then lay it on her thigh to trace her veins with her index finger. “I just imagined that you were going to stay with me,” she whispered, almost unintentionally, as if she was distracted by Carol’s touch.

Carol’s finger stopped and her eyes widened in surprise before addressing Therese. “I- I didn’t want to take it for granted. I don’t want to be a burden for you.” She nibbled her lower lip and hurried to continue when she noticed Therese had frowned and was opening her mouth to speak. “It’s one thing to spend a few days with you and other to simply bring my stuff and settle without your input.”

It was thoughtful, and more than understandable. “I get where you are coming from but Carol,” she scooted closer to her, cupping her cheek with her free hand, “you are not, and never will be, a burden for me,” she claimed sincerely. “It’s true that it might be too soon but if you are facing such position, I’m more than happy to support you.”

Carol’s eyebrows furrowed with concern. “Are you sure? Because I definitely prefer to stay with you than with them.” Both chuckled.

“Of course I’m sure.” She lowered her gaze for a moment. “You know, I always thought that I was so resistant to be with you in the past because our teacher/student dynamic and the fact that it was forbidden, but then I realized that it was because I was convinced that you were so young to want a serious relationship and deep down I knew that if I lower my defenses and fell for you and you didn’t feel the same, you could ruin me.” She raised her head to look at Carol, smiling bashfully.

Carol opened and closed her mouth a few times. The revelation didn’t offend her but she was surprised to learn the truth. She lifted Therese’s hand to kiss it before finally speaking. “I can understand it,” she said reassuringly. “Because during my previous relationships I was never interested to settle down, I was too young and I never imagined that it would happen around my twenties.” She chuckled.

Therese’s smile was softer and tender after her concerns were dissipated. “After Richard, the last thing I wanted was to feel trapped but with you, I feel the entire opposite.” She leaned forward to quickly kiss Carol. “And I can only hope to be the right person that makes you feel the same.”

“You are,” she confirmed right away. “If it wasn’t for you … if it wasn’t for the fact that you are the one for me, I wouldn’t have the guts to stand up to my father and fight for the life I want to live.”

Therese’s eyes, full of love, trailed Carol’s face before kissing her again. When she pulled back, she rested her forehead against the other woman’s, always maintaining eye contact. “So … you want to live with me and always do our best to make our relationship work?”

Carol closed her eyes, sighing deeply as her body shivered. When it was time to answer, she pulled her head back ─ enough to stop making contact but careful to stay close so they could feel each other’s warmth ─ lifting it to adopt a serious and concentrated expression, as if someone was instructing her with a very important task. “I do. I really, really do,” she emphasized the duplicated word, her composed expression broken by the beaming smile that curved her lips.

* * *

Carol turned her head to look at the house that had been her home for so many years through the window, confirming that her father’s car wasn’t in the garage just yet, which was expected because they had arrived earlier.

With the change in Carol’s plans, the couple decided that it was better to go to the house to pack Carol’s things (the essential and necessary) to put them in Therese’s car because now they didn’t believe that taking the young woman’s car was a priority and it would help to give Harge the message that Carol didn’t need him to persevere.

Sighing tiredly for the task ahead, Carol turned to look at Therese without moving the head away from the headrest, who had been looking at her with concern. The plan was that Carol would go to fetch her things while Therese waited for her, keeping an eye in case Harge arrived before so Carol wasn’t unaware. So it was surprising, at least for Therese, when Carol changed those plans when she opened her mouth.

“You want to come?”

Therese’s eyes widened in surprise. “I thought … you wanted to do this on your own?”

“I referred to facing my father.” She looked through the window, speaking thoughtfully. “I have no plans to come back to this house, no matter what.” But her next words were more cheered up. “So I imagined you wanted to see where I grew up.”

“Are you sure?” Because she was curious, but she didn’t want to give the impression that she was expecting something Carol didn’t want to do.

“Have I ever done or say something I don’t mean?” She raised an eyebrow, smirking.

Therese rolled her eyes but she chuckled. “In that case, yes, I would like to go with you.”

Carol had to ring the bell because if she had forgotten shoes, with more reason the keys. The housekeeper (Carol explained once they were alone) opened the door, looking sincerely happy to see Carol, who introduced Therese, and politely greeted her before leaving them alone.

Therese had an idea of Carol’s lifestyle without having to see it and once she was inside the house, it only took a quick look around to know she had not been wrong in her assumption. Although it was painfully obvious that it was Harge who chose the style because it looked more ostentatious than homely. Therese wondered if it had always been like this or if only happened after Carol’s mom died, but it was a curiosity she wouldn’t satisfy anytime soon.

“You want to see around?” Carol asked after closing the door, drawing Therese’s attention.

She shook her head. “I’m only interested to see your room. I’m sure that’s the only place that has your signature.” Carol smiled a little at Therese’s perception, nodding.

When the young woman offered her hand for Therese to take, she didn’t waste a second to do it, intertwining their fingers and following Carol, who took the lead without letting go, guiding them through the stairs.

There were pictures on the wall, and Therese felt the desire to stop to pay close attention to some of them because she could catch the glimpse of a little girl, who surely was Carol, accompanied by a woman. Therese had a strong feeling it was her mother. But this whole process, even though it was something the young woman wanted and was ready to do, was emotionally loaded to add more by talking about her mother.

Carol let Therese’s hand go when they arrived at the bedroom so the woman could poke around freely while she headed to the closet, opening both doors at the same time to step inside, searching for a suitcase after putting some shoes on.

Therese’s attention, that jumped from one place to another, noticing that the biggest difference between Carol’s room and the rest of the house was that it wasn’t ostentatious but it was equally neat as the rest of it, but there weren’t posters on the walls nor stuffed animals decorating the bed (Therese’s bedroom at her age had no free space on the walls with all the things she hanged up and she had to donate stuffed animals when the bookcase was stoked with the ones she had gathered during her childhood and adolescence), was drawn to that spot when she listened to the noise, her eyes widening.

“You have a walk-?” She cut herself off, rolling her eyes. “Of course you have a walking closet.” She chuckled.

“Has it ever bothered you, that I’ve always had a wealthy life?” Carol asked after coming out, placing the suitcase on the bed and opening it to then go back to the closet.

“No,” Therese answered sincerely. “It bothers me when people think they deserve special treatment because they have more money.” Like Harge. “You have always been pretty humble about it, sometimes acting like you don’t want it.” Therese walked to the bed, sitting next to the suitcase that Carol was now filling with clothes. She waited until the young woman was back after one of the trips to continue. “Which I suppose it’s good if you want to be with me.”

Therese lowered her gaze when Carol looked up to look at her. Instead of lifting her head, Carol squatted in front of her, placing her hands on her knees to keep the balance. “I’m aware it won’t be as easy as it was … that I’m going to have to work to help you to pay house services and whatever. But I want to,” she hurried to say when she saw Therese’s opening her mouth to say something. “I don’t want to be the kind of person that has everything handed to her or to find someone to keep me financially while I don’t move a single finger. I had it and I wasn’t really fond of never having the opportunity to try something different.”

Therese nibbled her lower lip worriedly but everything Carol said was true and she refused to be like Harge and take the opportunities away from her. “All right. But if you change your mind-”

Carol’s snort interrupted her. “I won’t. I want to be someone by my own merits, not my father’s.”

God. How could Therese have tried to deceive herself about her attraction towards Carol in the past, believing that it would be easy to reject her when she was so passionate about what she wanted and fought to have?

Raising one hand to caress Carol’s jaw, Therese smiled. “All right,” she repeated, this time reassured. Carol smiled back, standing up and kissing Therese’s forehead. “You want me to help you?” She was looking at Carol, all her intention to find out more about Carol with the help of her room, totally forgotten.

“I thought you wanted to dissect my bedroom,” she playfully exaggerated, raising an eyebrow.

She softly slapped Carol’s shoulder. “I realized it’s not necessary. I’m going to take with me what really is.” She smiled enamored.

Therese gasped when Carol rushed to wrap her arms around her, kissing her enthusiastically. “A shame we don’t have time, otherwise, I would familiarize you with my bed as a goodbye.”

Therese blinked before her eyes widened in shock. “Carol!” She hid her blushed face in Carol’s neck, who laughed and hugged Therese a little bit tighter.

“Hey! Our biggest perk now is that we no longer have to hide.”

“Yes, but out first ‘public’ situation won’t be risking being discovered by your father! We already did the craziness at the University.” She shook her head, closing her eyes. “I still can’t believe you convinced me to do that.” Carol threw her head back, laughing.

“You didn’t like it?” She pouted with difficulty because she wanted to smile like the cat who eat the canary.

Therese rolled her eyes. “I refuse to stroke your ego more than doing it at the University when it was full of people already did.” Carol laughed again.

“That’s valid.” She kissed her girlfriend before letting go. “All right, I would appreciate your help. Can you go to the bathroom and retrieve the necessary: toothbrush, shampoo … whatever you think could be helpful for us?” _Us_. Because that was what they were now: a committed team.

Therese nodded once she could ignore the butterflies in her stomach and Carol watched her go with a tender smile after pointing where to go (this time Therese didn’t even react when she noticed it was a private bathroom) before going back to her task.

Between two, they finish faster although it wasn’t like they were going to pack the entire room and they had so much to do but it was peaceful to know they didn’t have to hurry. When the suitcase was full of Carol’s clothes, the young woman walked to the nightstand of the right to take the picture frame that laid proudly in the middle of it. Carol took it reverentially, almost as if she was afraid to broke it, admiring it for a moment before offering it to Therese, whose eyes never moved away from her even after taking it, waiting for an explanation for the sudden gloomy aura that surrounded Carol.

“That’s my mom,” she whispered.

Therese’s mouth opened slightly before looking down. She smiled a little, her thumb stroking the wooden frame. “You look like her.” Mother and daughter were equally breathtaking but the woman in the photo looked far more shy and older than Carol. Therese was sure that she was even older than her when the picture was taken. She wondered if it was an age thing or due to her illness. She never wanted to question Carol about it because she didn’t want to make her sadder than the normal amount of sadness she could feel about losing her mother.

Carol smiled. “That’s what everyone says.” She took the photo when Therese gave it back but instead of placing it back on the nightstand, she put it in the suitcase, finally closing it. “Oh! I almost forgot.”

Therese watched her going to the same nightstand, this time opening the drawer, but instead of rummaging inside it as Therese expected, Carol patted under it, exclaiming a happy “ _aha!_ ” when she found whatever she was looking for, immediately revealing Therese a small key.

When she raised an eyebrow with confusion, Carol stood up, walking to the desk in front of the window to take what it seemed to be a book. But when Carol returned to show her what it was, opening the cover, Therese saw it was one of those hollow book boxes to hide things because there was a metal box inside. Using the key, Carol opened it and what was inside was something Therese didn’t expect.

“I have been saving a little bit for a few years.” She rummaged through the bills to then look at Therese with a smile. “I think it’s going to be helpful for us until I can find a job.”

Therese’s heart soared with love at the time her eyes filled with tears of emotion, and the only way she could think to show it was to caress the side of Carol’s face tenderly before wrapping it behind her neck to pull her down, kissing her in a way that left Carol breathless and her knees shaking afterwards.

Carol blinked slowly, licking her lips, feeling light-headed. “You are giving me mixed signals with that kind of kiss.”

“I just wanted to tell you without words how much I love you.” She brushed Carol’s hair behind her ear, smiling tenderly. However, in the next second, her expression turned provocative. “Once we are back home we can do what you seem so eager to do.” Carol felt her stomach somersaulting with arousal but mostly with exhilaration at the word ‘home’ and the way Therese’s eyes, through the desire, conveyed her emotion, for a moment entirely forgetting that she still had to talk with her father.

Carol took the suitcase from the bed, not bothering to out the trolley handle out since they had to go down the stairs, while Therese hanged the sports bag that contained the toiletry and the hollow book on her shoulder.

They took longer to go down than when they went up, Carol telling Therese the story of some of the pictures hanging on the wall. Therese marveled at Carol’s image as a little girl, tenderly teasing her by calling her a precious doll. They were so engrossed that they didn’t hear the car pulling up in the garage, letting know that Harge decided to come home earlier, until the front door opened.

Both women paled, feeling their blood turning cold when they met confused eyes that quickly turned angry when they took the scene in. It wasn’t necessary to be a genius to know what was happening after seeing the suitcases. Harge clenched his jaw, his hand that remained on the doorknob, squeezing it strongly, very tempted to remove _that_ woman forcefully out of his house, away from his sweet and innocent daughter before it was too late to save her.

Carol was the first one to react from her frozen state, noticing her father’s body language. “Don’t even think about it,” she practically growled.

Therese startled, fleetingly thinking that Carol was talking to her because she was pondering about making a cowardly exit (though she was unsure if it could be considered coward when the plan had always been that Carol was going to be alone for this), but when she turned to look at the young woman, her eyes were firmly focused on her father. Carol looked so defensive, like an animal ready to defend itself at the tiniest provocation.

“Carol,” Harge said, clearing his throat in an attempt to calm himself, not wanting to make Carol feel like he was the enemy. He had hoped to have more time to plan this encounter better and to be only he and his daughter but nevertheless, he wasn’t going to miss the opportunity. Better sooner than later and giving Therese the opportunity to ruin Carol’s life even more. “My sweet girl. I’m not angry. Not at you.” He glared at Therese for a second. “You are young and impressionable. It’s normal to believe you like things you don’t or that you are something you aren’t.”

Therese worriedly wondered if it could be painful to frown so harshly when she looked back at Carol, who after a few seconds, took a deep breath and let out a cold laugh. “Only because I’m going against the way you tried to programmed me to be?”

Harge looked taken aback but quickly recovered. “She’s older than you, Carol. You really think someone older is going to be interested in a child when there’s nothing you can offer her?”

Therese was ready to intervene but Carol’s furious answer stopped her from doing it. “I’m not a fucking child! Like it or not I grew up and I’m an adult!”

Harge raised his arms. “You are right. A father always has difficulty to accept that because, for us, our daughters will always be our babies.” He smiled softly. “But you are right, you are an adult and if you are so sure you are ready to venture life on your own, tell me … what do you have to offer her?”

Carol wavered, suddenly forgetting all the things Therese and she had talked about their future. When Therese saw Harge’s victorious smile, she refused to remain in the shadows any longer. “The only thing I’m interested to have from her is her presence in my life and a future with her.”

Harge snorted, which helped Carol to come out of her absorption. “As hard as it is to believe, there are people that are not interested in your influence and they actually see me.”

“So what, are you going to give up on this life for _her_?” He looked at Therese from head to toe with disdain. “Because I won’t support this madness, Carol. You go with her and say goodbye to your allowance, your car, every single whim you could want for your birthday … you can even say goodbye to your studies,” he added after a brief hesitation. “Surely you wouldn’t throw that to the garbage when you are so close to graduate for what you think it’s love.”

Therese’s eyes widened. She hadn’t expected such blow when Harge tried so fervently to make her go away since he didn’t want to risk Carol’s career. Unfortunately for him, this wouldn’t have the effect he was expecting and would also give him the confirmation that Therese indeed knew Carol better than him.

Sideways, Therese caught Carol’s reaction to the man’s words, making her smirk. “Good. Why would I be interested to study something I don’t like to then have a job I would hate?”

Harge looked like it had been hit in the stomach. “What?”

“I was never interested in that. But you never asked. You simply enrolled me because ‘ _we couldn’t lose the chance my job offered, Carol_ ’,” she quoted him bitterly, then she closed her eyes, sighing resignedly. “Though I do have to thank you for it because I ended up meeting the love of my life.” Therese felt the upsetting sensation that gathered in the pit of her stomach when Harge appeared, turning into something pleasant at Carol’s words. “It’s hard for a child to believe they have other choices and that they can do things for themselves when their own parents put them limits. But I discovered life has so much more to offer me, and with help, I found the courage to go for it.”

“You are making a mistake, Carol.” He finally dropped the sweetened tone. “I give you a week before you come back begging me to forgive you and pretend as nothing happened.”

Carol didn’t answer immediately. She knew that this was going to be the end of the discussion and she wanted to have the last word to make her point clear.

She took the suitcase by its handle and her free hand was offered to Therese, who didn’t hesitate taking it, despite the awareness that the act would make Harge’s blood boil. Slowly, they finally made their way down the stairs, and hand in hand, they walked towards the door.

Therese was thinking they were going to leave without another word but Carol stopped to look at Harge’s eyes, forcing herself to smile because despite all, the man was her father and it hurt not to have his support.

“No, Dad. I’m actually going to prove how wrong you are ─ I’m going to show you that I don’t need your money to be happy, just the support of the people who accept and love me for who I truly am.” She looked at Therese, taking a deep breath. “And even if things don’t work out between us, Therese will never be a mistake because she gave me the courage to live the life I want to live.” She smiled tenderly at the other woman before looking back at Harge. “By the way … it’s going to be hard to accept but this is not me being- how did you say it?” She pretended to think about it. “Oh, right: young and impressionable. It’s not that, Dad. This is me, finally having the courage to be who I am. It’s not a phase. It’s not something I recently discovered … I’ve known for years but I didn’t have a reason to stand up against you to defend who I am.” She made a poignant pause. “Now I do.”

Therese squeezed Carol’s hand when she saw her lowering her head, noticing her eyes filling with tears, trying to transfer some of her strength to her. “I love you, Dad,” she continued, raising her head. “That was the only reason why I bit my tongue for so many years, even more so after Mom died. It was only the two of us … how could I push away the only family I’ve left?” She brushed away the single tear that couldn’t contain.

“But then I started to realize that family is not the one you were born in it … it’s not the one that holds you back; it’s not the one that wants to control you; it’s not the one that doesn’t make you feel safe; it’s not the one who makes you doubt of yourself and make you feel like there’s something wrong with you.” She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, trying to stop the tears that now rolled freely. “Family it’s the one you make along the road; it’s the one who proves worthy of you instead of you having to pretend to be something you are not to fit; it’s the one who welcomes you to their lives with open arms: loving you, accepting you, not wanting to change a damn thing about yourself because you are good enough just the way you are,” she sniffed.

“As much as I love you, Dad, you are not a positive person in my life and nobody filled my head with such thoughts, I’ve known it for a long time. Those close to me? They only gave me the courage and strength to do something about it.” She looked down, gulping, taking a breather before the last thing she wanted to say. “I live with the hope that this helps you to open your eyes because I’m more than willing to let you come back to my life as long as you have an open mind and respect me and the people important to me.”

Father and daughter exchanged one last look ─ Carol not concealing the hurt and resolution of her decision while Harge was looking at her as if she was a stranger that he was looking for the very first time. It had been easy to believe Therese was lying to him after what she said about Carol because he didn’t know the woman at all, but now he was listening everything the woman had claimed from his own daughter’s mouth and it was definitely having an impact because he had never look Carol so passionate about something ─ before the young woman looked away, the heartache feeling comfort when she found her girlfriend’s eyes watching her with love and pride.

It was exactly what Carol needed at that moment. The clear reminder that she wasn’t and wouldn’t be alone at what would come.

Carol moved closer to Therese, wrapping her free arm around her waist, resting her head against the woman’s, closing her eyes when Therese mirrored her action, hugging her back with her free arm since the other was keeping in place the sports bag. Without breaking away from each other, Carol led them to the door to leave but both women stiffened when they were stopped in the form of Harge wrapping his fingers against Carol’s wrist, the one that was holding the suitcase, causing them to pull apart.

Carol gazed down at the fingers that were tightening its hold without becoming painful, apprehensively, knowing that it would be too good to be truth that the man hadn’t reacted and would let them leave just like that. Harge’s eyes followed the same path his daughter’s did, in his case looking with shock, giving the impression that he hadn’t meant to do this. Therese was already moving her hand towards her jeans’ pocket to take her cell phone, her eyes nailed on the man, ready to react if he dared to do something stupid or crazy, like forcing Carol to stay or forcing Therese to leave.

But when Harge looked up at Carol, Therese stopped indecisive, noticing the sorrow and sadness, and the lack of anger when he exchanged a quick look with her before letting Carol go, looking down in surrender.

Carol was the one who moved first, not wanting to risk another scare or the possibility of the man changing his mind. The couple left hurriedly, holding each other once again, needing the reassurance, without sparing another look to Harge, who closed the door but remained looking at them through the small window of it until they drove off.

“Don’t make me regret it,” he mumbled to himself but the words were aimed to Therese ─ a warning for her to not break Carol’s heart. Perhaps someday he could deliver it directly.

It had been quite the challenge to fight against who he was, who he had been his entire life, but facing the possibility of losing his daughter forever, knowing how serious she was about the things she said, his love for her had won before everything else. And if he could do it out of nowhere, then there was hope that he could be what Carol asked from him to still be part of her life after devoting time to improve his persona.

Besides, if Carol and Therese worked out, it would be a hilarious anecdote to tell his grandchildren that her mother and he had gone out in the most awkward date someone could ever have.

Harge couldn’t help but chuckle at the idea, which gave him hope that he might found the right path for him too.


	18. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another ride done, my friends. Thank YOU so very much for joining me. You guys are the best ❤️

Carol turned her head towards the pillow, nuzzling her face against it, letting out a content sigh. She was reluctant to wake up because the dream she was having was so pleasant to put a stop to it. In it, Therese was spooning her, just like real Therese did but in the dream, she was pressing soft kisses from her shoulder blade to her shoulder, where she nibbled playfully. The hand of her draped arm over Carol’s waist, lazily caressing her stomach under one of Therese’s loose shirts that Carol liked to sleep with, to then moving down, fingers slipping under the elastic of her panties.

Squeezing her legs together, trapping what in her sleeping state was convinced was the pillow, Carol grinded against it, moaning when she received a stronger touch from the one she was expecting from her clit to her entrance. More bewildering was that the caress was repeated backwards without her moving. But it was pointless trying to find sense to a dream, so deciding to simply enjoy, Carol pushed her ass against Therese, slowly starting to move her hips, wanting to follow the path the source of her current pleasure was tracing.

It wasn’t the first time either of them had a sex dream. Whenever it happened, it was expected that they sought for her lover’s body. Sometimes their movements were subtle but others, they get eager enough to wake the other up, making the dream a reality.

Strangely, Carol was feeling that clutching the pillow with her legs was stopping her from taking pleasure in Therese’s imaginary touch, reason why she spread her legs, tossing one behind Therese’s, moaning unabashedly when her mind, to into the dream, was convinced that she was feeling Therese’s fingers rubbing up and down her slit, the middle one slipping slightly between her folds.

It was only until Carol felt two fingers finding their way inside her, that she realized she wasn’t dreaming, the action causing her to clench the muscles of her pussy because her dreams had never been so vivid that she had actually felt the thrusting that was occurring at the moment. Dazedly, the young woman opened her eyes, taking a brief moment to notice it was already morning, then she turned her head to look over her shoulder, finding green eyes veiled with desire, and even though Therese’s lips were pressed against her shoulder, Carol could see them curving sassily.

Carol frowned confused. “Wha-?”

Any attempt to speak was neglected when Therese pulled her fingers out only to quickly reach back Carol’s pussy, this time from behind after slipping her arm between their bodies, deciding to take advantage of the position Carol had taken during her sleep, entering her once again, this time a little more forcefully since she was awake.

“Oh, God, Therese.” She turned her head towards the pillow, biting the closest corner, trying to conceal the desire to scream but she couldn’t stop herself from shifting her body towards her lover.

Now, Therese could fingerfuck Carol knuckle deep but she could no longer stimulate her clit so she slipped her other arm under the woman’s body, who facilitated the task by lifting it, wrapping it around her waist, taking her hand between Carol’s legs. Knowing that it wouldn’t take long to take her over the edge, Therese barely brushed the sensitive nub with the tip of her fingers, centering her focus in the short (barely pulling out) but fast thrusts she was giving, not even having the time to curl the tip of her fingers due to how fast she was doing it.

Losing the battle, Carol let the pillow go, moaning freely, taking one arm behind her, her fingers threading through Therese’s hair as she turned her head, moving closer to the other woman, her eyes nailed on her lips. Understanding Carol’s need, Therese disappeared the distance, joining their lips briefly, before their tongues came out of their mouths to make more of the contact since Carol’s moans made difficult for her to maintain her lips closed.

“Morning, my love,” Therese whispered with a coy smile, nuzzling her jaw with the tip of her nose to then nibbling it.

Carol’s attempt to glare was in vain because it was impossible for her to pretend she wasn’t enjoying this. “I’m … not complaining but-” she was interrupted by a whimper when Therese pressed her fingers against her clit. She didn’t go beyond pressing them against the sensible nub but it was enough to make Carol shake.

Therese, however, knew what Carol wondered. “This is a very important day for you.” She thrusted her fingers deeply, slowing the pace as she spoke. “I just wanted it to be unforgettable since the moment you wake up.”

Carol turned her head towards the pillow, hiding her face on it when Therese resumed the quick pace, the erotic sound that her soaked pussy made whenever Therese pushed inside, was making her stomach tighten after every thrust. Even though she wished nothing more than to prolong her pleasure, Carol was ready to climax, which why she started to move her hips erratically, clenching around Therese’s fingers, who, reading her girlfriend’s signals, rubbed Carol’s clit at the rhythm of her thrusts, willing to give her what she wanted.

The pillow didn’t help to cover the sound when Carol screamed Therese’s name, and in a few minutes they would be wondering if the neighbors heard them. But at that moment, nothing mattered than them. Therese slowed her pace accordingly to prolong Carol’s pleasure, following the motions her girlfriend were doing from her waist down until it halted to an end.

Therese kissed Carol’s shoulder tenderly, removing her hand from between her legs, leaving a wetted path with the woman’s fluids as she moved it towards Carol’s hip. Reaching her goal, Therese broke the contact with all the intention to take her hand to her mouth and lick it clean when a hold on her wrist stopped her. In the blink of an eye, as if she had read her mind, Carol was doing what Therese had been thinking about, her tongue snaking through her fingers, not missing a single part of Therese’s skin uncleaned.

Once she finished with the task, the young woman turned around, facing Therese, who take advantage to free her arm underneath Carol’s body. The green eyes never moved away from the bluish-gray ones as they roamed all over her face. Therese waited patiently even when her body was desperate for relief, familiar to Carol’s agenda. And it finally happened when Carol made eye contact, biting her lower lip provocatively before launching forward to kiss her hungrily, making Therese moan as her tongue slipped inside Carol’s mouth to savor her taste, her hands clinging onto Carol’s shoulders as one of hers, frantically lifted her t-shirt to be able to slip it under her panties.

It wouldn’t take long to get what she wanted but Therese knew that they wouldn’t leave the bed after that happened, and even though normally she didn’t have a problem with that, today was a day when they couldn’t take such luxury. Smartly, she had set an alarm in her cell phone to let them know when it was time to stop lazing around. But they didn’t need to worry about it because nothing and no one would interrupt them any time soon.

* * *

Carol smiled at the people that were waiting for them at the college entrance, slightly to the side to not disrupt the others’ path as they went inside. Before she could even open her mouth to greet them, her two best friends squeed before hugging her, both at the same time. At first, she hugged them back with one arm, until Therese released her hand, giving her the freedom to reciprocate properly.

“Only you would arrive late to your graduation,” Abby fussed after pulling back, looking up and down Carol’s clothes. The gown and cap weren’t different from the ones she had worn one day, even of the same black color which wasn’t out of the ordinary; but where she had preferred pants, Carol was wearing a dark blue close-fitting waist-up dress with a loose skirt that reached above the knee.

“It’s not late,” Carol clarified. “There’s ten minutes before the ceremony begins.”

“Aren’t the graduates supposed to arrive half an hour before?” She raised an eyebrow. In her and Genevieve’s case, it had been like that.

Carol shrugged carelessly. It was the day of her graduation ─ she had studied several years, approved the necessary tests, spend countless days without sleeping in order to achieve it ─ she had earned the right to arrive whenever she wanted as long as it wasn’t truly late.

“Why do you even complain if _we_ actually were late to our graduation?” Genevieve frowned softly at Abby. Carol had had to search for them when she and Therese realized the women weren’t on their seats when the ceremony started, finding them making out. As they made their way to the garden where the ceremony was taking place, Abby explained (as if to brag because Carol hadn’t asked) that it was only proper to give a farewell to the place that had brought the couple together.

“I’m not complaining,” she defended herself, engaging in conversation with her girlfriend.

Carol rolled her eyes, quickly shifted them from her friends to the man looking at her with eyes full of love, making her smile tenderly. “Dad.” She moved towards Harge, wrapping her arms around his neck as he hugged her by the waist.

“Hello, sweetheart.” His eyes now found Therese’s, who was looking at the scene with a soft smile, head tilted a little to the side, but when she felt his gaze on her, she made eye contact with him. Her smile grew a tad before she nodded in greeting. Afterwards, she put herself in motion to interrupt Abby and Genevieve to greet them.

It hadn’t been a smooth path, because all of them, including Abby and Genevieve, had been wary about Harge’s approach when he claimed he wanted a chance to make things right with his daughter and therefore, the people important to her.

Surprisingly, it had been Therese who yielded first.

It wasn’t like she took Harge’s side but it was the one who kept a clear mind about the situation, pointing Carol all the reasons why this was a good idea: there wouldn’t be what-ifs; she could get back the only family she had left, and in case things didn’t work out, she would have a definitive closure.

Carol was quick to clarify Therese’s mistake by saying that Harge wasn’t the only family she had left because she had Abby and Genevieve, and also Therese. After the perplexed woman reacted from her surprised state and shared her opinion about Carol’s comment in the way of a breathtaking kiss, Carol realized she was right, knowing that she would regret if she didn’t give her father a chance. Because despite the fact that Carol knew she could be someone without Harge’s help and influences, there still was a little girl inside her that wanted a good relationship with her father.

At first, the interaction between them had been strained. Harge, unsure of how to behave with Carol, acted awkwardly and so very out of character, reason why it looked like he was forcing himself to something he didn’t want to do. After a few encounters like that, the young woman had enough and was more than willing to burst out from the restaurant (Carol had been the one who decided a neutral place for their encounters, slightly paranoid of her father’s intentions) when the man took courage to be honest with her, putting his concerns on the table and revealing that he was going to therapy to be a better and healthy man.

That was a huge step into healing their relationship, helping Carol to see her father as a simple human being instead of the control freak he had become in his attempt to give Carol the best life she could have under his standards. A man that wanted to make amends after his errors and change for the better.

When things between father and daughter started to get better after a few months of only the two of them, Carol brought up the topic of Therese. Harge couldn’t deny he was concerned ─ on one side, he (and this was what he said to his daughter) was sure to be ready to face the woman but there was always the uncertainty of how would someone actually react. Fortunately, when it finally happened, things were better than all the involved would have hoped for.

Everybody knew they could never be friends. In fact, it wasn’t what they wanted. Both Therese and Harge were okay with having a comfortable and polite relationship whenever they had to interact. And after a few encounters, it was clear that both were on the same page ─ seeking to have a good relationship on Carol’s behalf because neither of them were going anywhere.

It had been Abby who was trickier to convince to give the man an opportunity. Nobody was surprised, and nobody could blame her; but everything worked out well in the end, after a few reminders that this was for Carol, not for her, and an apology to her and Genevieve. In Abby’s words, Harge was sincere because there was no way he could be that good of an actor to pretend.

But the moment when Harge fully accepted Therese, accepting the fact that there was someone else willing to look out for her, that from now on, there was someone who had Carol’s back unconditionally; was when the woman helped Carol (who had gotten a job as a waitress after abandoning college) to save money to finally study the career she desired. Now knowing that loving someone didn’t mean to dictate their life but helping them to achieve their goals.

It had been hard for Harge to see them struggling with money, because despite Therese teacher’s salary (he hadn’t moved forward with his threat about her never having the chance to teach again after Carol’s confrontation; and to look better in her curriculum, the woman had finished the school year before looking somewhere else) and Carol’s was enough to pay bills and buy the necessary to survive, it didn’t leave much to put aside for the college savings.

Harge had to bit his tongue several times to not offer them help, aware that they wouldn’t take it and most likely they would be insulted by the suggestion. Until one day their luck had a drastic turn when Therese, who following a hunch, went back to work in the warehouse after Eileen mentioned that the place was now open to everyone and they were drawing important people’s attention. After a few months, Therese was approached by a film Director interested in her job. That became the beginning of the pieces puzzles falling into place so both women could achieve her dreams.

“I’m glad you are here.” She closed her eyes, thighing her hold and sniffing his colony.

“Are you kidding?” He pulled away to look at her, cupping one of her cheeks tenderly. “I wouldn't miss it for the world.” He smiled. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Are you?” she questioned with hesitation, as if she was afraid he would change his mind.

“Absolutely. I’m glad you found the courage to do what you needed to do: stood against me, leaving college when you were so close to finishing it because it wasn’t what you wanted; and most importantly, never giving up when things were hard ─ in order to be happy.”

Therese turned her attention to father and daughter, feeling her blood turning cold when she saw Carol looking away from Harge, allowing her to see her profile and the way she pursed her lips, breathing deeply, a signal that she was trying not to cry. Her mind immediately went to the worst scenario and she was already walking to them without excusing herself with Abby and Genevieve, clenching her jaw and fists, more than ready to give the man a piece of her mind, when she was stopped halfway by the image of Carol hugging her father again.

As suddenly as Therese had felt the desire to make a scene, it vanished knowing that nothing bad was happening. However, she resumed her walking towards them, waiting for a moment before clearing her throat, which caused them to break apart. “Mr. Aird.” She nodded in greeting with a smile.

Harge had given up trying to make Therese call him by his name but he rolled his eyes, smiling afterwards. “Therese.” He stretched an arm to shake her hand, covering it with the other one. “How are you?”

“Wonderful.” She avoided looking at Carol, knowing that her girlfriend was smiling smugly. “And you?”

“Thrilled for having the opportunity to experience this day.” He gave her a grateful look. Therese, understanding, reached with her free arm to squeeze his forearm.

“We should go inside before that changes,” Carol intervened, looking down at her watch. As Therese and Harge let go, she turned around to address her friends. “Come on, guys. Showtime.” She stepped next to Therese, wrapping an arm around her waist and hooking the other with Harge’s, waiting for Abby and Genevieve to get closer.

In a politely surprising act, Harge offered his other arm to Abby, who was holding hands with Genevieve. The woman looked at the man with wide eyes before looking at Genevieve, who was looking at Harge with surprise. Then her eyes went to Carol, who was just as surprised as her friends but inwardly moved by her father’s attempts. It was only Therese who was smiling softly (as Abby noticed when she looked at her) slightly amused at the women’s reactions.

Abby looked down at the man’s arm, who was waiting patiently, though tempted to make the joke that he didn’t bite, and finally hooked her arm with his, not letting her girlfriend go. “This is odd …” She wrinkled her nose as they started to walk, entering the building. “But strangely nice.” She chuckled.

“It looks like you are blessed among women, Dad,” Carol joked with a smile, turning to look at Therese, who smiled back at her tenderly, which pointed out that she wasn’t smiling at the joke but at Carol.

“I definitely am, sweetheart,” he was quick to assure with no hint of doubt.

* * *

Carol tilted her head, admiring the image she was having in front of her.

After the graduation ─ which went as it was usually expected, including her family cheering loudly enough to embarrass almost anyone when her named was called, but Carol felt a heartwarming sensation all over her body as she received her diploma, shaking hands with the required people, the act wrapping her into a blanket of pride from the people who loved her ─ Carol had rejected the invitation from her classmates because even though she liked them, she preferred to have a private celebration with those close to her.

Now she was in a restaurant of her choice (because it was Carol’s day according to her father, which was quickly supported by Therese), which ended up being the place where she and Therese had their first date when they didn’t need to hide anymore, a place that wasn’t presumptuous enough to make them feel like fish out of the water (with Harge’s exception because even though he had gotten better, he still like to show off a little bit) but couldn’t be considered shabby either, watching her father and best friends laughing together after something Abby said that Carol and Therese hadn’t heard because they had been engrossed in their own conversation, only distracted by the unfamiliar sound.

“Are you okay?” Therese pulled Carol out of her reverie after a few seconds.

“Yeah, yeah,” she was quick to reassure, still looking at the image before blinking away, smiling at Therese. “It’s just … different.”

“A good different?”

“Totally. I just never imagined this could actually happen … that I could be with my girlfriend and my friends in the same place as my father without secrets.”

“You made that possible, you know?” Therese leaned towards Carol, leaning her forehead against hers. “You fought to be where you are.”

Carol closed her eyes. “Maybe. But you helped me to give that leap.” She pulled back to look at Therese. “I mean, sure, I won’t deny my hard work but you shouldn’t deny yours either. You’ve helped and I’m so thankful for it.”

Therese smiled bashfully. “You’ve helped me too, Carol. And that’s the whole point, no? Making each other better.”

Carol cupped Therese’s cheek, caressing it with her thumb, eyes full of love tracing her features with a tender smile before leaning down to kiss her. They normally refrained from the public displays of affections in front of Harge, not wanting to make it look like they were taking advantage of him but the moment couldn’t end without the tender action.

“All right,” Therese said after she pulled back, licking her lips, raising her voice to know the others that she was addressing them too. “I have a surprise for you.” She turned her body to her left to rummage through her purse. “I know you said you didn’t want gifts but this is not a gift from my part, I’m only the messenger.” She pulled out an envelope, holding it with both hands to hand it to Carol. Fleetingly, she looked at the others, who were paying attention with curiosity and confusion, before turning her attention back to Carol, fidgeting on her spot, eager for the young woman’s reaction.

Not long ago, during one of her visits at the warehouse, Therese had listened to some of the visitors involved in a conversation with some of the artists, complaining about losing their custom designer which was forcing them to delay their opening function. Therese didn’t even need to intervene when her colleagues were already mentioning that they knew someone who could help, quickly showing Carol’s work who was in display at some of the stands. Carol didn’t spend much time at the warehouse due to the college but her work always ended up there after presenting the project and getting her score.

Therese was approached days later, by the people she had glanced the day of the conversation but this time they were accompanied by an older woman, who she learned was the person in charge of the musical they were working on. They had been surprised when she told them that Carol was still a student though about to graduate, but that didn’t make the interest hesitate which led to a job proposal once Carol finished college.

Abby, always the least patient, rolled her eyes after a moment of silence. “What-?” But before she could formulate her question, she was interrupted.

“Is this real?” Carol asked looking at Therese in shock.

“Of course it is. I would never play you like that,” Therese reassured softly.

“But how?”

“It was all your doing, Carol. You are the one with the talent to draw people’s interest.” She was smiling proudly at her.

Abby, tired of waiting for an explanation, reached out to snatch the letter Carol was holding to find the answer for herself. Genevieve moved closer, resting her chin on her girlfriend’s shoulder to read over it but Harge tried again to make them explain. “What is it, sweetheart?”

It took Carol a moment to answer, pondering if she should answer or threw herself at Therese’s arms in appreciation but since most likely they wouldn’t allow her to enjoy being in her arms without quenching their curiosity, she decided to deal with that first. “It’s a-”

“A job offer!” It hadn’t been her intention to interrupt, take revenge for being interrupted first, but Abby couldn’t help her own excitement for her friend after she finished reading.

Carol rolled her eyes, then she chuckled. “That’s exactly it. A job offer. The producer of a musical wants me to work on their costumes. They want to meet to talk but they are saying that I can count on a team, and pretty much anything I need to make it work.”

There was a beat and in the next second, everyone except Therese were congratulating Carol at the same time, standing up to hug her one by one, saying a phrase after another about how much she deserved it, that it was good that people were capable to recognize talent when they saw it.

Carol smiled, reaching for her beer to take a sip once they were sitting back, feeling the heat crawling up her face. Their happiness was contagious but she wasn’t really fond of having all the attention on her. Fortunately, they give her a break when Harge got distracted, looking around for their waiter to order champagne while Abby and Genevieve started to talk about what they should do to celebrate.

Carol looked down when she felt Therese’s hand on her thigh, squeezing softly, then she looked up at her, her heart swelling with happiness and love when she found her favorite smile. “You have no idea how much I love you and how proud I am of you, Carol.”

In the next second, Carol was hanging on Therese, hugging her by the neck and Therese’s arms quickly wrapped around her waist. “I love you so much. And I know what you’ll say but this wouldn’t have been possible without you.”

She pulled back to look at Carol but without breaking the hug. “If you could see yourself the way I look at you, you’ll realize that you are amazing and you are capable to shine on your own. You’ll have found the way to do everything you did even without me.” She smiled bashfully which always caused tenderness in Carol and the desire to kiss her all over her face. “But I would never change how things happened and that our paths crossed.” She rested her forehead against Carol’s. “It had been the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“Better than working for an important studio, in a theater play, in a movie and now another movie?” Carol tilted her head with mock concern.

“By miles.” Therese played along, telling the truth. She actually liked to tell Carol how much she meant to her. “You’ll always be the best and most precious thing in my life.” She nuzzled her nose with hers to then kiss her softly.

Carol was grinning, feeling like a happy cat when it got the attention it wanted. “And you are mine.” She said fervently. “This job? Fucking amazing, there’s no way to deny it. You more than anyone can understand how incredible is to be doing what you love.” She smiled when Therese nodded earnestly. “But you? There’s no way to compare you, Therese. You will always be the greatest achievement of my life.”

Therese chuckled watery, sniffing with emotion, cupping Carol’s face in her hands. “Funny how when I got the call about getting the job at the University filled me with apprehension and it turned to be the best thing that could’ve happened to me.”

Carol, with a big smile on her face, moved forward to kiss Therese softly and tenderly, who happily reciprocated. Both aware of the eyes on them but not caring because they no longer had to keep it secret.

It had been okay when their relationship started and they were discovering how and if they would work, unsure of their future; but since a few years ago, as their lives began to take form and their goals were clear, they had been more than willing (and ready) to let the world know just how much in love they were of the other woman, and that there wasn’t anybody else with whom they wanted to sail the interesting path that remained in front of them.


End file.
